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GREEN BLUFF. 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 



By T. N. Sgpbr. 



PUBLISHED AND SOLD BY THE AUTHOR, 

FOR HIS BENEFIT. 
18 79. 



Wis 

1ST? 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1874, bj 

T. N. SOPER, 

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. 0. 



SUr-ntvpM by VINCENT DILL, 

15 aD.1 27 New C'.mrabers St., S. Y. 



Amzi Pierson & Co., Printers, Newark, N. J. 



PREFACE. 



The object of this little volume is two-fold : 
First, to add a drop toward swelling the tidr 
against the use of intoxicating liquors. Secona 
to furnish means for the support of one de 
prived of sight since early infancy. It is hoped 
these objects will gain for it access to many 
homes. 

The Author would not prejudge his own 
work, by offering here any apology for its 
appearance ; but hopes adverse criticism will 
be withheld until his story is told. 

The incidents herein related are not only true 
to life, but true in fact, for the most part. 

Mat, 1874. 



CONTENTS. 



P40I 

CHAPTER I.— Green Bluff— Its Beauty — Advantages of 

Total Prohibition 9 

44 II.— Carpenter Stone's Family— The Effects of 

Sober Industry 29 

4 III.— Mr. Thomas, the Covetous Man 40 

IV. — Walter Stone's Character — A Miner in 

Danger 52 

• V.— The Rivals— Success of Charlie Hayes GO 

44 VI. — Thanksgiving at Green Bluff— Dr. Thomas 
and Charlie Hayes gain Applause — Bene- 
fits of Prohibitory Laws 71 

44 VII. — Thanksgiving Dinner at Mr. Stone's — Dr. 

Thomas and Lucy Stone 79 

VIII. — Danger of the First Glass— Power of Appe- 
tite 88 

** IX. — License, or No License— Discussion in Town 

Council 101 

*• X. — The Saloon Opened — The Keeper Argues 

his Case Correctly 122 

XI.— The First Step the Fatal One— The Mali- 
ciousness of the Saloon Keeper 132 

4 * XII.— Mr. Thomas Lets a Room for a Saloon — 

Strange Arguments 144 

XIII. — Pernicious Effects of Respectable (?) Saloons 

and Billiard Halls 152 

XI V.— Expense of Liquor Traffic 164 

XV.— Charlie Hayes in Danger — Walter Stone's 

Reward— Sober Habits a Good Capital.. 170 
XVI.— Dark Scenes— The Liquor Traffic the Cause 190 
44 XVII. — Mr. Thomas reaps the Fruit, of his Sowing 

—Lucy Stone Suffers 204 

M XVIII — Conclusion. Green Bluff as it Now Is — 
Lucy Stone's Future — Walter's Gain — 
The Curse of the Traffic in Ardent 
Spirits 212 



GREEN BLUFF 



CHAPTER I. 



It was at the close of day, in early 
fall, when we first saw Green Bluff 
It was then a village of a few hundred 
inhabitants, lying among the hills of 
our adopted State. Nature had lavish 
ed her stores of loveliness on the whole 
landscape. 

In the centre of the town was the 
public square, which consisted of sev- 
eral acres of land, inclosed by a plain, 
neat fence. In this square were large 
oak and ash trees, placed there years 
before by the original settlers. Beneath 
these stretched the velvety sward of 



10 GREEK BLUFF. 

green, relieved by the gravel walks 
that wound in and out among the trees, 
affording delightful promenades for all 
classes, after the toil of the day was 
over. On the north and south sides of 
this square w r ere two large wells, situa- 
ted just inside the inclosure. From 
each of these extended a spout, leading 
to a huge trough outside the fence, 
where the farmer-traders watered their 
horses, and where the lads of the village 
held high carnival, morning and even- 
ing, as they brought the sleek, spirited 
steeds of the more wealthy to water. 
Here, too, the tired laborer, or thirsty 
traveler, slaked his thirst from the huge 
iron ladle that hung suspended by a 
chain from the oaken pump — without 
charge and without hurt. 

On the evening of which we write, 
the promenades were filled with children 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 11 

at play, while here and there under the 
trees were groups of men — laboring 
ii) en — who, on their way home from 
work, had stopped for a draught of the 
clear, cold, refreshing, life-giving bever- 
age furnished by the great Creator for 
his creatures, and now were chatting 
cheerfully of their work, their families, 
and news of various kinds. They were 
dusty, sun-burnt and hard-handed, but 
beneath the dusty, brown exterior, there 
was true nobility. The bony hand told 
of days of toil for others — for wife, for 
children, for civilization. It was with 
them a badge of truest manhood, of 
warmest heart and tenderest feeling. 
As the shadows lengthened, they parted 
and wended their ways homeward. Into 
some of their homes we afterward went, 
and of their beauty and real joyfulness 
we will tell by and by. 



12 GREEN BLUFJT. 

Down one of the wide, quiet streets 
we wandered. It led us by the ceme- 
tery. The sexton — old, gray -haired, 
but buoyant in spirit, and nimble in 
movement — kindly received us, and 
pointed out the places of interest, and 
gave us a brief account of each. 

" This," he said, pointing to a tall 
monument of beautiful design and fine 
workmanship, " marks the place where 
Mr. Green was buried. It was put up 
by the mechanics. Mr. Green (he built 
that school-house over yonder, where 
you see the spire glittering. Just*be- 
fore he died, he willed the whole thing, 
house and all, to the town, to be used 
for a school for the poor — this is what 
the mechanics — and other men, too — 
but the mechanics went ahead in the 
matter — this is what they did for him) 
— he had some very queer notions about 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 13 

some things ; very good notions, I think 
— but some people think them very 
queer. One of his ideas was, that a 
man that swore or got drunk, weren't 
fit to train up children. So, as long as 
he lived, he would never let any man 
teach in that house that did either; and, 
in his will he provided that the town 
should give up the property, if the trus- 
tees elected should employ a man that 
did either. I tell you, sir, that man 
done more than I can tell for this place 
in his day. You saw the public square, 
did }~ou ? Well, that was some of his 
work. He paid for half of that ground 
out of his own pocket. He always 
argued that such things were great 
helps toward keeping men sober." 

11 Haven't you any whisky shops in 
town?" 

u Not one, sir — not one. There nevei 



14 GttEEN BLUFF. 

was one here, and I hope never will 
be" 

"Why are you so decided in your 
wish that there may never be one es- 
tablished here ? It is thought by many 
that they are a benefit to a community 
— they increase the business of the 
place," 

" That may be ; guess it is true : but, 
sir, it doesn't pay; I say, it doesn't pay 
at all. Just compare our neighboring 
towns with this. Take Middleville, for 
instance. It has more business, I know, 
but one-third of it is destroying what 
may be done by the rest. They have 
their lock-up and two or three police 
every day We have neither lock-up 
or police — don't need them. They have 
disturbances on street every night al- 
most, and the Sabbath, there, is no 
more than any other day, to many ; foi 



A TEMPERANCE STOPwY. 15 

there is an endless amount of street 
lounging, and horse-racing, and whoop- 
ing, and all that sort of thing. Why, 
last Christmas I was there on some 
business, and was never so ashamed of 
myself in all my life before. I was 
ashamed I was a man. There was a 
group of drunk men every few rods on 
the streets, and they were uttering all 
kinds of bad talk. That is not half 
strong enough to put it — but, sir, it was 
awful ! I saw several ladies compelled 
to go out into the mud and water, in 
the middle of the street, to pass the 
crowds on the sidewalk. All this time 
the half-crazed wretches — excuse me, 
sir, I don't mean to be rough on them, 
but I can't call them any less — these 
wretches actually clapped their hands 
in delight when they saw the ladies 
splashing through the mud. Where 



16 GREEN BLUFF. 

were the officers? They were half 
tipsy, too, and took care not to see the 
quarrels or to hear the obscene talk. 
That is the kind of business they have 
there. Such things happen every pub- 
lic day — at elections, and such like. 
No, sir, Green Bluff never had any such 
times, and I hope it never will." . 

While repeating these words, the old 
sexton was rapidly walking to and fro 
before his little cottage, to which we 
had come. The tone and gestures 
plainly indicated how earnest he was 
in his protest. 

After further conversation with him, 
in which he told of the happy, quiet 
Sabbaths, of the well-filled church, the 
attentive, neatly-attired worshipers, the 
Bible class that met Sabbath after- 
noon, of the brotherly kindness existing 
among the people of this beautiful vil- 



A TEMPERANCE STOliV. 17 

\ of the thrift of all classes, we left 
to go to our boarding-house, or hotel, 
lure we found no bar-room, no loung- 
ers, no smoking, swearing, gaming: but 

instead there was a reading-room, well 
lighted, with walls ornamented, not 
with lewd pictures, but with beautiful 
landscapes, chaste ideal scenes. The 
guests were seated at the lono; table 
extending the whole length of the 
room, writing, or reading the late papers 
and magazines, of which there was a 
good supply. 

Thus engaged, time flew rapidly, and 
we were surprised when the old-fash- 
ioned clock on the shelf struck the hour 
of ten. Soon the guests were in their 
rooms, and sleep shut out thoughts of 
fcither the beautiful town or its happy 
Inhabitants. 

The next day was Sabbath. Nothing 



18 GREEtf BLUFF. 

disturbed its sweet stillness save the 
sound of the church bells and the pat- 
ter of feet of the worshipers going to 
and from the house of God. Were all 
the people attendants at church ? No. 
Were all temperate, or abstainers from 
intoxicating drink ? No ; but public 
opinion was so strong against the use 
of whisky or wine, or any drink of like 
nature, that one would as soon openly 
steal as to become intoxicated, or even 
be seen using such beverages. All were 
not habitual attendants at church, yet 
this same high-toned opinion prevailed 
with reference to Sabbath desecration, 
so there was a powerful restraining 
influence exerted in that direction too. 
When men's minds are not beclouded 
by stimulants and their baser nature 
aroused by their influence, it is easy for 
the Word of God to move them toward 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 19 

the right. Hence the quiet condition 
of Green Bluff. The village pastors 
found it easy to persuade the youth to 
attend Bible school and public worship, 
for there was no counter-influence at 
work. At the Bible school we found 
not the children only, but, as intimated, 
the young men and ladies were there 
too. 

We purpose not to give a full de- 
scription of this charming village ; but 
only to present a brief outline of it, and 
let the reader fill up according to fancy, 
assuring him that he can not overdraw 
the picture. 

Xow r we would introduce one of its 
inhabitants, and let him and his family 
tell of their joy; and from them, too, 
you will learn of other attractions of 
Green Bluff 



20 GEEEK BLUFF. 



CHAPTER II. 

"Lucy, my dear, will you put your 
book aside now — see, the sun is nearly 
down — and start the fire in the kitchen ? 
Father and "Walter will soon be home/ 1 
So said Mrs. Stone to her daughter. 

" Yes, mother." Without a moment's 
hesitation the request was complied 
with, while Lucy, singing gaily, filled 
the house with sunshine. 

Scarce had the sound of the hissing 
kettle began, before a step was heard, 
tnd Lucy bounded away to meet the 
comer. He was a noble-looking lad, her 
senior by several years. His form was 
attractive; his face beamed with hap- 
piness; his forehead, high and broad, 
told of unusual intellect. Black with 



A n-iMPERANCE STORY. 21 

the dust of the mine (for he was a col- 
lier), lie was none the less attractive to 
the maiden that stood by his side, with 
both arms around his neck, putting one, 
two, three kisses on his lips, despite the 
dust that clung all around them. 

"Be careful," he said, in mock sever- 
ity, "you will muss me all up; he 
pushed her from him, and hastened in- 
to the house, but not to stay, for in a 
few minutes he returned to the door- 
step, where Lucy sat, and placing him- 
self by her side said, 

11 Xow, Miss, having removed my 
royal robe of black, I am ready to be 
entertained or to entertain; but first 
take back the 'bussie or two' you grave 
me "this e'en;" and without more ado 
he pressed his lips against the fair face 
of the maiden, who blushed scarlet in 
spite of herself. 



22 GREEN BLUFF. 

"Royalty," she said, is clothed in pur 
pie and fine linen, and not in black." 

" Our King robes himself in black, 
and we, his courtiers, think ourselves 
honored when we can be clothed like 
him." 

" Who is your King, that you follow 
so closely. I would love to see him." 

" You can not see him, but his works 
you see every where. Judge of his 
power and strength by these : The 
grandest cities that the world has ever 
known were reared by him ; the might- 
iest navies owe their existence to him ; 
the most delicate fabric you wear is 
the result of his fiat; on his shoulders 
he carries all the nations of the earth. 
He " 

" Well, what is his name ? Tell me 
that before you continue your eulogy," 
she said, grasping his arm, with which 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 23 

he was making impressive gestures, as 
he stood before her mocking the pub- 
lic orator in deep tones and impassioned 
manner." 

" I am speaking of his majesty, King 
Labor." 

" But our friends just across the way 
would not agree with you. Labor to 
them is an ignoble slave." 

11 Which is the greater, the created or 
Creator? the supported or supporter?" 

* l The Creator, of course." 

u Well, then, since all their wealth is 
the result of labor, is not he that wields 
this influence greater in the true sense 
than he that is the passive recipient of 
the result V 

" Your logic and eloquence are alike 
irresistible," she said, with a smile ; but 
let us drop this discussion and talk 
of something less weighty. Woman's 



24 GREEN BLUFF. 

mind, you know, is not able to grasp 
these great problems, so don't let us 
waste our time in such futile attempts. 
That is, I mustn't waste my time." 

She drew him to a seat beside her, 
and confidingly put her head on his 
shoulder, saying, 

"I have been ever so happy since 
school this afternoon. It was the mid- 
dle of the session, you know, and the 
time for reports. "When we were all in 
the Seminary chapel, Mr. Clarkson read 
the standing of each one in all the 
studies — when he came to my name, 
what do you think I got \ " 

" Your standing ? " 

" Of course, but how high ? M 

" Up stairs, I guess. " 

" I got nine : ten is perfect, you know. 
More than you would get for your witti- 
cisms, unless you do better than now. " 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. JO 

" That reminds me that the superin- 

dent of the mines was down to see 
us to day. What do you think lie 
>niised me \ " 

'•Increase of wages?" 
k * Yes, and promotion." 
"Oh, Walter! Tell me all about it." 
"Well, it seems that Mr. Gray, the 
'Loss' of our mine, is ^oino* to leave 
soon to take charge of several mines in 
Pennsylvania, and some one must take 
his place. He recommended me to the 
superintendent, because, as I afterward 
learned, I was not addicted to the use 
of any kind of intoxicating liquor." 
" Do the other miners drink \ " 
" Nearly all of them. They send to 
Middlevillc every week for a supply of 
whisky and beer. They don't dare 
drink enough to make themselves drunk, 
but I can see that the desire for it is 



26 GREEN BLUFF. 

growing on them. And, what is worse, 
the} 7 cannot do as much work now as 
formerly, and they, of course, are los- 
ing in their wages daily." 

"Walter, tell me, my dearest, you 
will never touch any thing of the kind, 
will you ? " 

Her arms clung closely around his 
neck, and, with a tear in her mild blue 
eye, she gazed at him earnestly, tremb- 
lingly. 

" Never, my dear. Have no fear for 
me. Well, as I was going to say, my 
wages will be nearly or quite double 
w T hat they are now, and I will have but 
little work to do." 

" How strange that you should be 
selected for that place when you are so 
young — only twenty last month. What 
will mother say ? Won't she be proud 
of her boy." 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 27 

" You would make me vain, sister, 
if I did not make allowance for the 
magnifying power of the glasses your 
affection wears." 

"There is no danger of your being 
vain. Only the ignorant are vain." 

" Worse and worse. In trying to 
atone foi flattering me, you increase the 
offence." 

" Offence ! Do I offend you ? " 

"No, dear, you speak what you 
think; but you think more highly 
than you ought." 

" I have a right to think a great deal 
of my own darling brother, haven't I? 
Who is so kind, so true as he?" 

"There go, now; mother calls you." 
With her characteristic promptness she 
hastened to obey the summons of her 
mother. Walter remained on the door- 
step until his father came from his 



28 GREEJNT BLUFF. 

shop. They then entered the house, 
and there talked of their future. To 
them both it was rose-tinted. Mr. 
Stoiie, a mechanic of considerable tal- 
ent, had always received a good share 
of the patronage of the villagers. The 
day of which we write, he had just re- 
ceived a job which promised him steady 
employment all Winter in the shop, 
and constant work the coming Spring 
and Summer. 

The tea was announced as ready. 
The happy family gathered around 
the table— spread with luxuries? No. 
The meal was frugal, but temptingly 
prepared. The bread, snowy white 
and light as possible; the butter, a 
rich golden hue, and sweet-scented; 
the milk, yellow with richness ; the tea, 
savory in the extreme; cold sliced ham 
and cold beefs tongue, with sauce of 



4 TEMPERANCE STORY, 29 

apples, constituted the main part of the 
fare. Plain? Yes; but a morsel with 
quietness is better than rich viands 
amidst contentions. Why did the hour 
at the table seem so brief that evening i 
Was it not because each was intent 
on supplying every means possible to 
furnish pleasure for the other ? 

As they gathered about the board, 
Mr. Stone remarked, 

" Walter tells me, mother (Mr. Stone 
always called his wife mother), that he 
has promise of promotion and increase 
of wages/' 

" So Lucy says," answered his wife. 
u Well 3 I believe he deserves both, and 
I am sure he will not prove hinisell 
unworthy the trust bestowed." 

She looked, admiringly, lovingly at 
her son. 

"I have already begun to build air 



30 GREEN BLUFF. 

castlea mother; that is, you will call 
them such, but I hope they will be 
realities. I have thought of many 
comforts I can furnish you, which you 
have not now. And, if I can only 
retain that place, I hope to have enough 
laid by to keep you and father in your 
old days." 

Mr. and Mrs. Stone glanced at each 
other, and a tear might have been seen 
trembling in their eye as they thought 
of this feeling of affection in their son. 
He noticed nothing of this as he turned 
to his sister, and with a warmth rarely 
seen, he said, 

" As for Lucy, to-day, while lying flat 
on my back in the mine picking at the 
hard coal above me, I thought out what 
1 would do for her. This quiet, coun- 
trified life is not the kind for her. She 
must go to school, to college. Then, if 



A TEMPERANCE STOUT. 31 

she wants to, she can come here and 
teach in our school. She would be 
strong enough on the temperance ques- 
tion for Mr. Green's scliool trustees, 
wouldn't she? Wouldn't you?" he 
said, turning from addressing his par- 
ents to his sister. 

"I hope so; but Walter, dear, you 
are too imaginative and sanguine. If 
you do half what you propose, you 
would have nothing left for self." 

" Well, I was just saying if I had the 
means I would do this. It is pleasant 
to think about what we would do if w T e 
could, you know." 

Thus they talked until the church 
bell warned them of the meeting for 
singing. Walter was made to lead, 
just as some are made to follow. In the 
singing he was leader. Not because he 
was better acquainted with the science 



32 GftEEtf BLUFF. 

and art of singing, but because there 
was in liim those traits of character that 
Miark the natural leader. Here, too, 
success attended him. Having the con- 
fidence, we may say the love of the 
whole church, he exerted an influence 
over them that was really marvelous 
in one so young. The elder members 
yielded to his opinion as they would 
to a superior. The younger portion of 
the church followed him as they would 
an older brother. 

When the two were gone, Mr. and 
Mrs. Stone drew near to the cheerful 
fire, blazing and crackling on the hearth. 

"Just twenty-five years ago, my dear, 
since we entered life together. WeVe 
not had much of this world's good; 
but vet we've had enough. Want has 
never stared us in the face since the 
time we moved into this little home, 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 33 

Don't I remember the time well. I 
thought no one had so pretty a wife 
as I, nor none so spry. 

11 How joyous were those days ! I 
remember the first cloud that passed 
over us. It was when we put little 
Jessie in the cold grave. She was the 
first to come and the first to go. But, 
then, we must not mourn," he said, 
wiping away a tear, " God has spared 
to us Lucy and Walter. Two as good 
children as ever parents had, if I do 
say it myself. Walter has no bad traits 
about him, as I know of, unless it is 
that he is too generous." 

" That is not a fault, surely ! " said 
Mrs. Stone. 

" No, not a fault, I guess ; but, some- 
times, I can't help feeling afraid it will 
lead him astray. He is so w^ell liked 
generally among his associates, that it 



34 GREEN BLUFF. 

gives him great advantage over them , 
but, then, he is so kind that he would 
suffer wrong rather than wound their 
feelings." 

" I understand the cause of your fear, 
my dear; and I thought at supper, when 
he was telling what he meant to do with 
his earnings, that the same spirit that 
would lead him to do so much for us 
and his sister, might, if perverted, cause 
him to give all his strength to riotous 
living. Somehow I have felt sad so 
often when thinking of this." 

" Well, there is only one way in which 
we can guard off the wrong. We can 
give our precious boy into the hands of 
God. He can keep him in the right." 

"Yes; He can keep him in the right,'* 
repeated Mrs. Stone ; " and I long sc 
earnestly to know that he has given his 
heart with all its noble impulses to God." 



A TEMPEKAtfCE STORY. 35 

" You but speak the longings of my 
heart, dear wife; lie is not safe until 
that is done." 

"How thankful I am, that Green 
Bluff is so free from temptation, in the 
way of saloons and rowdyism." 

" You don't think our Walter would 
be influenced by such things, do you ? " 

Mr. Stone's manner, when asking this 
question, was one of surprise and pain. 

"Why, no; but, then, I am glad that 
he is entirely safe from all such influ- 
ences. We do not know when or how 
they may become too strong." 

" I know, I know," he said, and for 
some minutes he sat musing. Finally, 
lifting his head, and looking upward, 
while one hand was pressed heavily 
against his eyes, as if he would shut 
out some horrible vision, he said, in a 
low tone, "Father of mercy, save him ! * 



30 GREEN BLUFF. 

" My dear, are you ill ? " his wife 
asked excitedly, hastening to him, when 
she heard the suppressed groan, but did 
not hear the words. 

" No, wife ; I was only thinking how 
our poor old hearts would bleed and 
break, if our bov should ever become a 
drunkard." 

" Oh ! that can never be ! " she said. 

How often do we feel the coldness 
which the shadow of coming evil throws 
across our way. How often, too, is this 
shadow imaginary. We are frightened 
by fears of calamities that never come. 
Yet, are not these premature fears angels 
of mercy to us frequently ? Do they not 
quicken our watchfulness, or arouse us 
from stupor ? Who can say that many 
disasters have not been turned aside by 
prayers wrung from the hearts of the in> 
periled, or their friends, by vague fears ? 



A TKMPKRAXCE STORY. 37 

After a few minutes' silence, Mr. 
Stone, suddenly arousing from his rev- 
erie, said, "Mother, let us pray." 

They both knelt, and for a moment 
or two poured out th/ur souls to God, 
after which, Mr. Stone prayed aloud, 
imploring God's protection for their 
children, and especially for their son. 
The prayer was the deep utterance of a 
soul agonized with a sense of its help- 
lessness and a feeling of greatest need. 
When they arose from their knees, the 
cloud had given place to sunshine. 

" Oh ! my dear ! " said the wife, " 1 
feel so secure in the arms of the Great 
God — my Father. He can keep our 
precious children, and will, I believe. 
The load of fear is all gone, now." 

"Just as I feel," he replied. "The 
Power that has kept us all these years, 
will surely keep us to the end of the 



38 GREEN BLUFF. 

race, and admit us to His own loved 
presence at last, and bring our chil- 
dren to us by-and-by, when their work 
is done." 

u If we are only faithful." 

" We must be." 

"We will be." 

" Drawing their chairs near together, 
in the light of the cheerful fire, they 
talked of youthful days, of childhood 
scenes, boyish pranks, girlish fancies. 
Had one been hid, so as to hear the 
words and not see the gray heads so 
near to each other, and the wrinkled 
hands clasped together, he would have 
supposed scarce a fortnight had passed 
since the vows of mutual fidelity and 
love were made — they were so warm 
and affectionate. This was as it should 
be. 

The clock had scarce told the hour of 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 39 

nine, when Walter and Lucy returned 
from singing. 

" We have been waiting for you, 
dears, so you could sing us one of those 
good old songs before we went to bed." 

" What shall we sing to-night, moth- 
er?" said Lucy, seating herself on the 
lounge by her and gently pressing her 
lips to her forehead and then to her 
lips. 

" My favorite." 

They then sang with great feeling : 

11 Guide me, thou Great Jehovah, 
Pilgrim through this barren land ; 
I am weak — but thou art mighty ; 
Hold me with thy powerful hand. 

Bread of heaven, 
Feed me till I want no more. 

44 Open, now, the crystal fountain, 
Whence the healing waters flow ; 
Let the fiery, cloudy pillar, 

Lead me all my journey through. 

Strong Deliverer ! 
Be thou still my strength and shield.' 



40 GREEN" BLUFF 



CHAPTER III. 

There was a Judas Iscariot among 
the twelve apostles, but his treachery 
did not stain the character of his com- 
rades. In the Church of Christ in these 
days there may be found men as treach- 
erous as he, yet their evil deeds need 
not mar the character of their brothers. 

Why did Judas betray the Master? 
Because he hated Him ? No. He car- 
ried the bag, we are told ; he was the 
treasurer, and a greedy man. The love 
of gain was the ruling passion in him. 
It was for thirty pieces that he betrayed 
his Lord. But was there no palliation 
for the crime ? Certainly. He had seen 
his Master convey himself mysteriously 
out of the multitude when they sought 



A TEMPERAKCE STORY. 41 

to slay liim; and could he not deliver 

himself out of the hands of the soldiers 
that should seek him? Besides, had 
not his Master said that he must be be- 
trayed, and must die? Then, since he 
must be betrayed and must die, why 
mi^ht not Judas gain a little ? Would 
it not increase the amount in the treas- 
ury? Surely, these were strong argu- 
ments. So men in these days argue. 
They, greedy for gain, sell safety of 
family, Church and State, to the devil, 
hoping that some fortuitous event will 
deliver their innocent victims from the 
power of the hands in which they have 
been placed. Do you know any such? 
•* # •& ■& * 

" Oh ! dear me ! 1 am so tired of darn- 
ing this carpet. It keeps me half my 
time working to keep things mended 
up, and then they aren't half decent. If 



42 GREEN BLUFF. 

Mr. Thomas just cared half as much for 
me and the house here, as he does for 
his money, things wouldn't be half as 
bad as they are. I have half a mind to 
ask him at dinner to get a new carpet 
for the front room, and let me take that 
one for the sitting-room, and this one for 
the kitchen. If he just would! If he 
would, I would be half-crazy with joy. 
I believe I will ask him. He will be 
half-mad, I know, but then it wouldn't 
be half as bad as to be working myself 
half dead, always darning this old car- 
pet, that ain't worth half a cent hardly." 
Mrs. Thomas was talking to herself 
as she sat on the floor of the sitting- 
room, working away at the carpet She 
was Mr. Thomas' second wife. His first 
had been dead many years. She left 
him one child, a boj. He married the 
woman, now his wife, soon after his first 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 43 

loss. She was but a girl then, and was 
attracted by his wealth, and not by love 
for him. He idolized his child. His 
wife was not a sharer in his affections. 
Of course he was kind to her — that is, 
he was considerate enough to furnish 
her comfortable clothes and sufficient 
to eat, but he expected and exacted 
the closest economy on her part. If 
every thing was nice and in order at 
home, when he came to eat and sleep, 
he was pleasant. If things were other- 
wise, so was he. 

Abroad, from home, he was known as 
a close dealer, a shrewd tradesman, a 
successful merchant. At church, he was 
known as a faithful attendant, a devout 
worshiper. He owned some half-dozen 
commodious store rooms, and was en- 
gaged in making preparations to build 
three others. Mr. Stone had secured 
this job. 



44 GREEN" BLUFF. 

" A letter, from John, to-day," he said 
to his wife, as he seated himself at the 
dinner-table. 

"Had you? 1 ' She said no more. 
She knew he would tell her of its con- 
tents, if of any importance to her, and 
would do so as soon without her asking 
as he would with it. 

" He graduates next summer." 

"Does he?" 

11 He will come home, then, to stay." 

"Will he?" 

"I intend to fit him up a fine office, 
in my new brick." 

" You do ? " 

"If education is anything, he will be 
the smartest doctor in these parts." 

"He will?" 

Thus the conversation went on, with 
a short interval between each statement 
by Mr. Thomas and response by his 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 45 

wife, who never ventured an answer 
beyond monosyllables, until dinner was 
over. When Mr. Thomas arose to go, 
his wife ventured to say, 

"Mr. Thomas"- — - 

" Well, what is it I w 

He stood with hat in one hand, while 
the other grasped the door knob. 

"I was just thinking that" — 

She paused to see if it was safe to 
proceed further in her request. Being 
assured by his pleasant appearance, she 
continued, 

"I was just thinking that this car 
pet was nearly darned into pieces." 

" Why, I had not noticed it — but 
what of that ? " 

" I was just thinking it wouldn't be 
half so bad if we — you — had a new one 
for the kitchen." 

"What's that? A carpet for the 
kitchen ! a new carpet for the kitchen !" 



46 GREEN BLUFF. 

She had never ventured so far before, 
and she was so frightened at her own 
boldness that she forgot all about the 
way she intended to have a better car- 
pet for the dining-room. 

" You are half-beside yourself! " He 
put on his hat and walked out. 

His wife did what she could not help 
doing — she cried. She wiped the tears 
away, and choking down her grief be- 
gan to clear away the dinner-dishes, 
when the door suddenly opened, and 
Mr. Thomas stood before her. 

" Marg'ret — how now ! Been cry- 
ing ? Any thing gone wrong ? " 

" Every thing goes wrong ! " she felt 
like saying, but instead replied, " Noth- 
ing — are my eyes red ? " 

" I came back to say, that John thinks 
of coming home to spend Thanksgiving, 
and I want things to look sort o'nice. 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 47 

He is going to bring one of his chums 
with hiin." 

"I tell you, Mr. Thomas," his wife 
said, summoning up all her courage, 
" if I had a little " — her courage faltered. 

"A little what ? " 

u If I had a little money, I could make 
things look half as good again as they 
now look, and not work half as hard. 
John will not be half pleased, if he has 
to bring his friend on this half-worn- 
out carpet." 

This she said as rapidly as possible, 
lest her courage should give out before 
she had finished what she had to say. 

" It does look rather dingy — that's 
so," said her husband, to her great as- 
tonishment. "Do you want a carpet 
for the kitchen, and this room, too ? " 

Surprised beyond measure by this 
burst of liberality of expression — if not 



48 gkee:n t bluff. 

intention — she quickly said, "Yes," and 
then hastily corrected herself, for fear 
she had gone too far. 

"No — only one; one for the parlor. 
Then I will take the parlor carpet for 
this room, and this carpet for the kitch- 
en. That's what I meant to say at 
first." She was trembling all through 
her frame, when she had finished this 
sentence. She feared something — she 
could not tell what. 

" Well, I will send one up to-day. 
John must have things nice. How 
many yards \ " 

" Thirty." 

He did not stop to inquire whether 
she would like to go down and select the 
pattern; neither did she suggest that 
such a thing would be proper for him to 
do. To have a new carpet, was victory 
enough for one day. It was not for her 
that be bought it : it was for John. 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 49 

Mr. Thomas hastened to his office. 
He found the minister awaiting his ar- 
rival. He greeted him cordially. 

"Fine day, sir! fine day!" he said, 
punching the fire, and putting on more 
coal. 

" Very comfortable in here, but quite 
cool out-doors." 

11 1 didn't feel the cold, much, coming 
from dinner." He put aside his heavy 
coat, and laid his fur gloves on the top 
of the desk. 

" Presume not ; but yet it is quite 
cold for the first part of November." 

After a short pause, the visitor re- 
sumed — "At least, I have found it so, 
as I have been out making pastoral 
calls, to-day." 

" Ah ! " 

" Yes. I found one family in a very 
distressed condition." 

" Indeed !" 



50 GKEEI* BLUFF, 

He turned to Lis desk and began to 
write, as if to cut short further convex 
sation. Nothing daunted by this act, 
the minister continued — 

" Colbert has not been able to work for 
a week or more, and as his family are de- 
pendent on Ills labor for their support, 
and as he is getting small wages in the 
mine lately, this cold snap has caught 
them without any wood or provisions. 17 

" Indeed ! Why the town ought to 
see to them." 

" There is no officer appointed for such 
business, I believe, by the town ; but, as 
that is a part of a minister's duty, I have 
taken it upon myself to see to it." 

" Yes ; I believe ministers ought to 
look after the poor of the Church."' 

He was writing rapidly all the time. 

"Just so. Now, Brother Thomas, 
what will you do to help us c see to it \ ' ,? 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 51 

He kept on writing, but found time 
to say — 

" Well, really, I would like to do 
something, of course — but (still writing 
away as for life) — but I guess you will 
Lave to excuse me for tliis time. I am 
building, you know, and can't spare tlie 
money, now." He stopped, raised his 
spectacles, and smiling blandly on his 
visitor, said, "It is a very worthy ob- 
ject, and you have my best wishes. 
Hope you will get all you want. Have 
you asked Mr. Stone for help ? He is 
generally ready for suchi things.'' 

M I did, sir, and lie gave me five dol- 
lars, without a moment's hesitation." 

" Just like him ! I thought he would 
help." He smiled complacently. 

" Hope you will call again. Good 
afternoon." Smiling and bowing, lie 
showed his visitor out of the door. 



52 GfcEKN" BLUFF, 



CHAPTER IV. 

The wind was blowing furiously, and 
the snow falling thick and fast, piling 
up in great drifts here and there, inter- 
cepting travel, and forcing its way into 
every nook and crevice. The well-to-do 
were scarcely prepared for so sudden 
a storm, while the poor were actually 
suffering on account of its suddenness 
and severity. 

At Mr. Stone's, the family were gath- 
ered around the tea-table, and, as usual, 
formed a picture of perfect happiness. 
For several days, Walter had been oc- 
cupying his new position, and giving 
great satisfaction to the superintendent 
and proprietors. Each evening he had 
something interesting to tell of the work 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 53 

or the workmen. At times lie came 
home in an unusually thoughtful mood, 
which was a warning for the family to 
prepare for a recital of some project for 
the help of some of the men or their 
families. 

This evening, leaning back and push- 
ing his plate from him, he said: "I 
am uneasy about Colbert; he has not 
been to the mine for a week ! I believe 
I will go to see him; perhaps he is 
sick." 

"I know he is," said Mr. Stone, "for 
to-day the minister came to me for assis- 
tance, to buy some wood and provision 
for the family. I meant to tell you 
before, but it slipped my mind." 

"Well, that settles it. I must go 
right over there." 

"Not to-night, Walter?" said Lucy, 
sorrowfully and inquiringly. " See how 



54 GREEN BLUFF. 

it storms!" she said, going to the win 
dow and peering out. 

"The very time I should go. Per- 
haps, they are suffering and need help. 
Now, dear, you just put up some of that 
good bread and butter and meat, and 
I will take it over to them. The little 
ones will be glad to get it, if Colbert 
and his wife are not. Guess they'll not 
object very seriously. Don't be uneasy 
if I do not come back soon. Good-by ! " 
So saying, he kissed mother and sister, 
and, buttoning his great coat close up 
to his neck, he started. 

It was a half-hours walk that night, 
as the drifts had made it almost impass- 
able. He found Colbert sick, indeed : a 
fever raged, and he was quite delirious. 
The snow beat in at the windows and 
the door, but the room was comfort- 
able, as the wood procured by the kind 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 55 

pastor was already at hand, and a part 
of it roared in the stove and sent out a 
genial warmth. 

Mrs. Colbert sat at the bed-side weep- 
ing, while the children, (three in num- 
ber) clung affrighted to her. Provision 
had been brought ; but the wild state 
of her husband prevented her prepar- 
ing it. Walter took her place beside 
the sick man, while she gratefully re- 
ceived the basket of food, and, quieted 
by her friend's appearance, proceeded 
to spread the table for the children, 
who ate heartily, having had nothing 
save a crust or two in the morning. 

It was toward dawn when Colbert 
opened his eyes and recognized Walter 
by his bed. 

11 Ah ! ' boss,' it's a bad go for me ; 
bad go." 

"I gee it is. How came you so?" 



56 GREEN BLUFF. 

" I took a severe cold, a week or more 
ago, and this is the end." 

" How did that happen ?" 

11 A few of us men were over to Mid- 
dle ville, one night, and we didn't get 
back till late. It was a rainy time — 
awful roads. All got wet. We walked, 
you see, and that made it worse." 

Cl He was the sickest man I ever saw, 
when he came home," said his wife. 
" He could hardly stand alone when he 
came in. I had sat up to wait for him. 
I didn't know he would stay long. He 
was just wet all over, and seemed so 
limber like. He went to bed, and has 
been there ever since. Poor man ! " 

She leaned forward and kissed the 
brow of her husband. He turned his 
head away and remained silent. 

"That is the way he always does 
whenever I say anything about his 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 57 

getting sick," she said in a low tone 
to Walter. " He seems so ashamed 
that he 'give out' that night. Says he, 
yesterday, 'Now, wife, don't tell any 
one how I came in the house so weak. 
The boys will make fun of me for 
being so no 'count like, if they hear 
it.' Poor man ! he has worked himself 
to death, most. For some time he has 
complained of feeling bad whenever he 
would come home from the mine. 
He says he can't earn as much now 
as before, because he can't work as 
well. Indeed, for more'n a week he 
has given me about half as much as he 
used to. Things look terrible gloomy 
for me an' the children — if there isn't 
a change pretty soon. He is so kind 
to us." 

Here tears, which had struggled for 
vent, gushed out, and her voice quiv* 



58 GREEN BLUFF. 

ered so much she could not talk. (This 
had been said in a half whisper.) 

Walter replied : " Never mind ! there 
is a brighter time coming, Mrs. Colbert. 
I will try to help your husband all I 
can. I think I know the cause of his 
ailment, and I will talk to the doctor 
about it. You see I know how it is 
in the mines." 

"Do you really think he will get 
well ? " she asked, anxiously. 

"Oh, yes: he will be up in a few 
days. But I must go now, as it is nearly 
daybreak. I will tell sister Lucy, and 
she will come over and stay with you 
awhile to-day. The storm has ceased," 
he said, opening the door. " God bless 
you, Mrs. Colbert." 

Again he was trudging homeward, 
weary in hodj^ but buoyant in spirit. 
Throwing himself upon the lounge iq 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 59 

the sitting-room, near the blazing fire 
that Mr. Stone had built in anticipation 
of his son's return, he soon fell asleep, 
and slept soundly until two hours after- 
ward, when he was wakened by the 
pressure of lips to his own. 

" Come, my precious boy, and eat 
the warm breakfast your mother has 
prepared for you." 

" It is worth a night's watching by 
the sick to be wakened that way," he 
said, rising and putting his arm around 
his mother and drawing her close to 
hiin. 



60 GKEEN BLUFF, 



CHAPTER V. 

u Three weeks from to-day, children, 
is Thanksgiving. I have concluded to 
have no school on that day. Of course ? 
Yes ; for you know we never do have 
school on such days. But that is not 
what I was going to say. I was going 
to say, we would not have any school on 
the day before Thanksgiving, either. 

" Here, you little boys over there in 
the corner, just keep quiet, please ; you 
are not dismissed yet. 

" Well, that is not exactly what I was 
going to say yet. I meant to say, that 
we teachers have concluded to give you 
a treat on that day. 

41 Don't be smiling so loud over that 
way, boys — and you, girls, don't look 
so disappointed 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 61 

u We are not going to treat you to 
candies, and cakes, and pies, and all 
such things. 

" What is the matter, now, little chil- 
dren ! you, there, on the front row of 
seats ? Where are all those smiles you 
had a minute ago ! 

" We intend to have a literary treat. 
You little folks don't understand that, 
do you ? Well just wait, and you will 
see what it means. Come, young ladies 
and gentlemen, be cheerful, for you will 
not have to write compositions or ora- 
tions, or declaim, unless you want to. 
Now, all that are willing to prepare an 
oration or a declamation, please rise to 
their feet. None up ! Well, that seems 
to furnish poor prospect for entertain- 
ment. Very well, though. Now for 
some thing else. The trustees have de- 
cided to give twenty dollars in gold for 



62 GHEEN BLUFF. 

the best delivered oration or declama- 
tion, and have appointed the day before 
Thanksgiving as the trial day. They 
desired to have the whole male portion 
of the school compete for the prize : that 
is all those who have entered the Junior 
department. But you have decided dif- 
ferently. Now I wish you to select" ■ 

" Please, sir," said a student rising, 
let us vote on that again." 

" No, sir ; be seated and listen to my 
proposition. I wish you to select, by 
vote, two of your number who will com- 
pete for this prize. They are to pre- 
pare a declamation, if from the Junior 
Department ; or an oration, if from the 
Senior. Whom will you nominate ? " 

There was a pause for a second, when 
several voices at once said : 

" Charlie Hayes." 

" Very good for one ; now for the 
other," said the teacher. 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 63 

Another pause, when the name of 
Judas Jambres was proposed. There 
were no other names presented ; so these 
two lads, aged fourteen and sixteen, 
respectively, were the competitors. 

" Charlie Hayes is not present this 
afternoon," said the teacher. " Can any 
one tell me why ? " 

" Please, sir," said John Jaccol, " he 
was compelled to remain at home, as 
his mother is quite ill." 

"A good excuse, certainly. And let 
me say, just here, boys, that it is a mark 
of true manhood to be kind and obedi- 
ent to- your parents, and to your mother 
especially. You are dismissed." 

"Which will get the prize?" was 
asked by each pupil, of half a dozen 
others, and received various answers. 
The unanimous opinion among the 
greater portion was, that Charlie Hayea 
would be the fortunate one, 



64 GREEK BLUFF, 

" Wish he would," said John Jaccol, 
'cause he needs the money. He and his 
mother have had a hard time to make a 
livin'." 

" He'll get it — sure pop," said another 
— " for he beats in every thing." 

" That's so, to a T," said another. 
"I'd 'bout as lief work 'gainst stone 
wall as 'gainst him." 

"He ain't like most boys, either; he 
always goes right home from school, to 
see if his mother don't want nothing, 
and then he comes back to the play- 
ground, if she don't," said John. 

" Seems to me, you boys have forgot 
most all your grammar, from the way 
you talk. A body would suppose you 
belonged to Primary instead of Junior." 

" You hold your tongue, Sam ! We 
ain't talking grammar, now ; wdre talk, 
ing about Charlie Hayes, and the prize. 



A TEMPERANCE STOUT. 65 

You needn't say much ; you don't know- 
any more grammar than we. You said 
1 forgot!' instead of forgotten." So said 
one of the students. 

It was evident from the'r conversa- 
tion that Charlie was a favorite among 
them, on account of his gentlemanly 
manners and studious habits. As one 
of the boys said, " he always beat in 
every thing." 

He was tall, for his age; had light 
hair and eyes; fair face, with a ruddy 
spot on each cheek. Scrupulously neat 
in dress, and naturally graceful in 
movement, he was universally admired, 
not only for his intrinsic worth, but 
also for his appearance. At home, he 
was an example of devotion to his 
mother and younger sister. His mother, 
though delicate, earned sufficient funds 
by sewing, to keep her family in food 



66 GREEN BLUFF. 

and clothing. She looked longingly 
into the future, hoping that her dear 
boy would, in time, grow to the man 
she pictured in her imagination. "Will 
he ? " she often asked herself. 

The day for the trial came at last. 
At an early hour the chapel of Green 
Bluff Seminary was filled by anxious 
spectators. The competitors sat on a 
front seat, in full view of all, and the 
centre of attraction to all. 

Charlie was calm and unembarrass- 
ed, and apparently forgetful of all sur- 
roundings. A seat or two from him 
sat his mother and sister. His mother's 
head w r as bowed, and occasionally her 
lips moved as if in prayer. Charlie 
was forgetful of all, apparently, save of 
this lady. Ever and anon he glanced 
that way, and seemed longing for a look 
from her. He felt that with the benfr 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 67 

diction of her eyes only he could be 
calm and brave — and successful; that 
is, he knew he could declaim every 
word of his selection. 

Judas was more careless. He glanced 
at every new comer, and nodded famil- 
iarly at acquaintances as they came in. 
He was a genius, and knew it. His 
talent as a declaimer was known by all, 
as he had won many laurels on similar 
occasions. He felt his ability, and could 
have no fear of failure. 

The hour for commencing drew near. 
The hall was full, and yet more came. 
The doorway was crowded, and many 
stood without, despite the cold. It was 
evidently a gala day for Green Bluff. 
The five trustees, who were also to be 
judges in this, came and took their 
seats on the platform. 

Judas spoke first, A suppressed cheer 



68 GKEEN BLUFF. 

greeted his appearance. The careless 
manner he wore a few minutes previous, 
gave place to a calm, dignified look, that 
won the hearts of man}^. His opening 
sentences fell like music upon the ear, 
and hushed every breath of noise. Gra- 
dually, but surely, he won the minds 
and hearts of those that listened, and 
carried them on, as the rapid, rushing 
river bears onward the leaf on its waves. 
He closed amidst bursts of applause. 

Then Charlie arose. For a moment 
he stood and looked over his audience, 
as a general views the enemy's fortifica- 
tions. In many of the upturned faces 
he read his doom, as the incredulous 
smile that played over their counte- 
nances said, " Judas has the prize — you 
need not try." Glancing but a second 
at the seat where sat his mother, his 
eye met hers, and there he read such 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 60 

depth of faith in his ability, that a new 
spirit seemed to breathe in him. 

Back from his white forehead his 
light lochs were thrown, from his eye 
beamed a fire that seemed to burn the 
eye it met. He spoke, and silence fell 
on all again as at first. 

The lad seemed more than human as 
he threw new life into words that often 
before had been declaimed from the 
same place. 

His theme was pathetic and tragic by 
turns, as it was a picture of a drunk- 
ard's doom. He finished. Scores sat 
weeping, and many leaned forward, as if 
drawn by some invisible power toward 
the youthful speaker. No applause 
greeted him. 

The judges retired for consultation. 
Scarce a minute elapsed until they re- 
turned, and made known their decision 
to the principal. 



70 GEEE1ST BLUFF. 

Few were the words that had been 
spoken since the speaker ceased. All 
*vere intensely anxious to know the de- 
cision. The principal arose and said : 

"Charles Hayes" 

Applause after applause burst from 
lips that before had seemed sealed, and 
strong arms gathered up the lad and 
lifted him on the platform in view of all, 
before the principal could finish his sen- 
tence. When quiet was restored, he said, 

"Charles Hayes receives the prize." 

Again were cheers repeated in rapid 
succession, while Judas, almost wild 
with delight, grasped the hand of his 
young conqueror, and, swinging his hat 
above his head, cheered more lustily 
than any, forgetting the place and time 
in his joy. Judas had no selfish blood 
in him, notwithstanding his name. 

That was a joyful night at Mr& 
Hayes' ! 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 71 



CHAPTER VI. 

Thanksgiving day was a time as 
eagerly watched for as Christmas, both 
by young and old of Green Bluff. This 
year it was destined to be more than 
usually joyous. Arrangements had 
been made, by which the customary 
sermon was to give place to a variety 
of exercises in the town hall. 

The day dawned bright and cold. 
The snow covered the earth and man- 
tled every tree and shrub, glistening in 
the sunlight, but refusing to disappear 
beneath his warm rays. 

From the mansion of the wealthy and 
the cot of the humble but noble day 
laborer, parents and children hastened 
to the place of assembly. The clergy, 



72 GREEN BLUFF. 

town-officers, and the speakers of the 
day, occupied the platform. In front of 
them the Sabbath Schools were seated. 
A more lovely scene can scarcely be 
imagined than that of scores of children, 
neatly, tastefully, comfortably clad, 
gathered together to praise the Great 
God in song. Back of these were the 
older people — the mechanic and mer- 
chant, the collier and banker, side by 
side in the social gathering, as they 
of necessity must be in the business 
world. 

Most conspicuous among the speakers 
for the day, was Dr. John Thomas. His 
manner was prepossessing in the ex- 
treme. High and broad his forehead, 
dark and keen his eve, and musical his 
voice, he could not fail to attract atten- 
tion wherever he appeared. 

The programme called for prayer, 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 73 

songs, recitations and orations. For 
three hours the audience remained in- 
tensely interested, and in nothing more 
than in the Doctor's speech, which 
abounded in flashes of wit and strains 
of eloquence. Unusually gifted, edu- 
cation had made him an attractive 
speaker as well as an accomplished phy- 
sician. His gifts and accomplishments 
were the more striking from the youth- 
ful appearance he bore. 

As might have been expected, the 
youthful victor of the preceding day 
was called to repeat his declamation. 
His appearance was greeted by such 
applause as would well-nigh turn the 
head of a much older person. 

At the close, the oldest clergyman 
present gave a brief statement of the 
condition of the little village. He said : 

"Where, my friends, in the whole 



74 GREEN BLUFF. 

extent of the United States, is there a 
rommunity of people who have more to 
be thankful for, than we have ? Very 
meet is it, that we, as a community, 
should assemble here, to-day, to give 
expression of our gratitude to God for 
His manifold mercies. Where shall we 
begin to enumerate them, or where shall 
we leave off? Verily, they are past 
numbering. Yet I cannot refrain from 
presenting a few of the benefits which 
we enjoy above many of our neighbor- 
ing villages. 

"How pleasant our situation! Nes- 
tled here among the hills, sheltered alike 
from the fierce blasts of Winter and the 
burning; heats of Summer, bordering the 
clear waters of our own beautiful 
river, we can boast of natural loveliness 
and pleasantness of situation, above any 
town of our state. And it seems right 



A TEMPERANCE STORY 75 

that so happy a people should have 
such beautiful surroundings. 

"But it is not the surroundings that 
make us happy. It is a trite saying, 
4 Be virtuous, and you will be happy' 
— yet it finds an illustration in our 
community, and hence its force. Will 
you listen while we tell of our virtue 
as a town ; tell of it by pointing to its 
effects ? 

" Seldom, this past year, very seldom, 
has the deep tones of the church bell 
told in measured notes of the presence 
of the dark-winged messenger, Death. 
There are few graves in our cemetery 
on which the grass has not grown — -fexo^ 
I say — and verily believe it would be 
true to say, none. 

M Who of you have seen ragged ckil- 

*J DO 

dren, or hungry women, walking our 
streets, begging a pittance to keep sou] 



76 GREEN BLUFF. 

and body together? True, it is, that 
we have had occasion to open our 
hearts and purses to supply the want 
of some one or two of our worthy la- 
borers, upon whom sickness had come 
suddenly — but such cases are rare. 

"Walk on our streets after night-fall, 
on Sabbath eve, when nearly all of our 
people are gathered into the churches, 
and be astonished to see the windows 
of our houses left unfastened, and doors 
unlocked — yea, even open in the Slim- 
mer time! Does that argue anything 
in behalf of the honesty of our people \ 
I tell you, friends, it speaks volumes. 

"See that stately building just over 
the way, standing in a yard beautiful 
even in its nakedness of Winter. Go 
there, and look into the faces of those 
gathered within its walls, to study and 
think and fit themselves for places of 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 77 

honor and of usefulness in the coming 
years. What is it that you read in the 
bright eyes, lovely faces, quick steps, 
manly deportment, and womanly graces 
of the pupils? Bright hopes for the 
future. 

" I do no one any wrong, and am flat- 
tering no one, when I say, that, to-day, 
there have been, on this platform, 
pupils of that school which would do 
honor to any town or city in our great 
domain. 

" Need I tell of the business enter- 
prise of our village ? No ; for its his- 
tory is written, never to be effaced I 
hope, in the commodious, well-filled 
stores, the mills and manufactories, 
and mines of our vicinity. 

"Read the report of our police mag- 
istrate recently published. What facts 
for our rejoicing does it furnish. One 



78 GREE^ BLUFF. 

arrest! And that of a besotted trav- 
eler, who purchased his liquor at our 
neighboring village, Middleville. 

" Who can stand up here, to-day, and 
say his taxes for town purposes have 
been burdensome ? Who can say that 
our streets and sidewalks are not in al- 
most perfect order % And yet we learn 
that there is no debt hanging over us 
— but, on the contrary, there is a re- 
spectable sum in the treasury with 
which to begin the next fiscal year. 

" Why is it that we are so much more 
blessed than many others ? — for a com- 
parison with the condition of any other 
town of equal size, will show our supe- 
riority in all the points mentioned— 
why, then, I say, are we thus blessed? 

" I know of but one answer — We have 
closed our doors to the destroyer — to the 
vile monster, c Liquor Traffic ! ' " 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 79 



CHAPTER VII. 

After the events narrated in the last 
chapter had transpired, the people of 
Green Bluff separated to go to their 
homes, and partake of the bounties pre- 
pared beforehand. 

At Mr. Stone's there were unusual 
preparations made. The snowy cloth 
seemed to glisten with unwonted bright- 
ness. The few pieces of silver (gifts 
from Walter to his mother) could not 
be burnished more carefully, while the 
arrangement of the various dishes on the 
table, was almost perfect. It was Lucy's 
deft hands that accomplished these 
changes. 

Mrs. Stone's motherly face wore its 



80 GREEN BLUFF. 

usual smile of contentment and love, and 
her husband never seemed more com- 
pletely at ease with himself and all the 
rest ot mankind. Walter was in the 
highest spirits, and overflowed with wit 
and repartee. Lucy was more quiet than 
ordinary, yet there was something in her 
look and manner that told of more than 
ordinary joy. Despite herself, blushes 
came and went in rapid succession as 
they discussed the meeting from which 
they had just come. 

" It was the very best Thanksgiving 
meeting I ever saw," said Walter, 
bringing his hand down on the table 
with an emphatic thump. "Didn't 
Charlie Hayes do splendidly ? and what 
a perfect model speech was that of Dr. 
Thomas M" 

Lucy's eyes fell-— but she was silent 
"All was very good. I should think 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 81 

Mr. Thomas would be very proud of his 
son/' said Mrs. Stone. 

" Proud of him ? That isn't half of 
it ! " said Walter. " I believe he wor- 
ships him. Didn't you see how nervous 
he was, with joy, when John was ap- 
plauded? He laughed and twisted 
about on his seat, looking first at John 
and then around on the audience, and 
seemed almost ready to burst with glee." 

" Well he might ! Guess I would 
have done so, too, if it had been you up 
there, my son," said his father. 

" My talent isn't in that line. Lucy 
what makes you so silent. What do 
you think ? Seems to me you and John 
were pretty good friends, before he went 
off to college. How is it now, eh ? " 

Walter gave his mother a knowing 
wink, and awaited Lucy's reply. 

" I thought it was nice," she said, with 



82 GREEN BLUFF. 

as much indifference as she could sum 
mon. 

" Quite a definite answer, to be sure," 
said her brother. " Was it nice to have 
the young doctor's friendship ? Well, 
I guess that's so." 

u Why, no! I meant nothing of the 
kind. The performance was what I 
meant." Blushes came. 

" Come, sister, be more explicit. Did 
your heart beat high with joy, when you 
heard one of your own townsmen — to 
say nothing of any other relationship — 
speaking so acceptably, so eloquently ? '* 

"I certainly did. I have always 
thought Charlie Hayes a most delight- 
ful speaker, especially for one so young." 

" Oh ! but the other one, I mean. How 
about him ? " persisted Walter. 

" Why, you know, Mr. Gibson is my 
favorite preacher. How could it be 



A TEMPERANCE STOttY. 83 

otherwise, when lie is so kind a pas- 
tor?" 

" Very well; we will let it rest at 
that ; but it seems to me the doctor has 
been left quite out of the reckoning with 
yen." 

" Perhaps so," was her seemingly in- 
different reply. 

* x * * * * 

"Well, now, this is really kinder than 
I was expecting you to be to-night, sis- 
ter" — and Walter walked into the neat 
but plain parlor, and seating himself in 
the easy chair, in front of the grate, 
said — " but, the fact is, I must ask you 
to excuse me. I have an engagement, 
to-night at Squire Johnson's. His young 
folks asked me around, and I must go. 
Really, I am very sorry that you have 
gone to the trouble to have every thing 
so comfortable for me here. I know I 



84 GKEEN BLUFF* 

would enjoy a tele a tete with you more 
than with any one else — almost." This 
he said with a mock earnestness that 
was laughable in the extreme. 

" Give yourself no uneasiness," she 
said ? in the same spirit : " for T will not 
be left to enjoy the warm fire and easy 
chairs alone, if you do go. You are ex- 
cused." She bowed him out of the door. 

A rap at the door ! 

" Good evening, John — excuse me ! — 
Dr. Thomas, I suppose I must say, now, 
since you have nearly completed your 
college course." 

"No, Lucy, not Doctor, yet — and I 
hope never to be called by so formal a 
name when you speak to me in your 
own parlor. It is John — simply, John." 

She took his hat and gloves, and mo- 
tioned him to the chair that Walter had 
vacated a few minutes before. 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 85 

" It does seem a long time since you 
were here last — almost two years," 

"They have been weary years tome," 
he said, "in some respects, and full of 
pleasure in other. Did you receive my 
last letter?" 

" Not until yesterday — the very day 
you came. I wondered why you didn't 
write. It was miscarried some way." 

A gentle rap at the parlor door. 

" Come, father," said Lucy. 

Mr. Stone entered, and advancing to 
the doctor, said — 

" I come to congratulate you for my- 
self, and for Mrs. Stone, on the speech 
to-day. I hope it may prove to be only 
the forerunner of continued success. God 
bless you ! " A warm, hearty pressure 
of the hand, followed this benediction. 

The doctor bowed low in token of 
his appreciation of the blessing. 



80 GREEN BLUFF. 

"I will not intrude further," said the 
father, turning to leave, " for, no doubt, 
you and Lucy will have all too little 
time to talk over old scenes and pleas- 
ures; yet it seems that you might have 
written all you had to say in the nu- 
merous letters that came. How many 
was it, Lucy? seven a week? Well, 
good night.'" 

" Bless his dear old soul," said Lucy, 
as the door closed behind him. 

" One thing is certain, John — you 
may repent of your selection for a wife ; 
but a nobler, truer, kinder father-in-law, 
you could never have found." 

" I will risk my repenting," he said, 
taking her hand in his and pressing a 
kiss upon it. 

Of all they said and did, we cannot 
tell. This we know, ten o'clock came 
too soon for them, as much remained 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. J 7 

unsaid that for months they had treas- 
ured up in their hearts for this hour. 
It was, to them, too sacred to be writ- 
ten. Ten was their hour for retiring, 
and no infringement was permitted. 

" How long must it be ? " 

" At least three years, John. I can 
not get through school in less time. 1 
will be, then, just a little over twenty > 
which is full young enough to assume 
the duties of a wife. You know that, 
John. By that time you will have se- 
cured a good practice here, and we will 
be ready to start right." 

"Ah, you are a reasoner, indeed! I 
will be patient. Good night, dear," 



88 GREEN BLUFF, 



CHAPTER VIII. 

The next morning found Walter at 
his post early. Some time before the 
hour for work to begin, Colbert came, 
and stepped into the office to leave his 
dinner-bucket and to remove his heavy 
coat. 

" Good morning, Colbert ; hope you 
had a pleasant time yesterday. Glad 
to see you back, ready for work. It has 
been some time since you were here." 

u Yes; I have had a hard time of it. 
Everything seems 'gainst a poor man, 
these days. Kind 'o thought for a time 
I would be laid up all Winter." 

" But you weren't laid up all Winter, 
so be encouraged. How are the fam- 
ily?" Walter motioned him to & seat, 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 89 

and, sitting near, put bis hand on his 
shoulder kindly, and said, " Colbert, I 
am getting uneasy about you. Do you 
know why?" 

" Course not. How should I?" 

" Don't you think you go too often 
to Middle ville?" 

" Why, no ; guess a fellow has a right 
to go where he please, and as often as 
he please, in this land." 

This he said rather pettishly, and 
arose and walked the floor of the office. 

* Don't know so well about that, Col- 
bert. You have no right to go into my 
trunk and take my clothing." 

" What do you mean \ " 

He stopped short in front of the 
speaker, and gazed at him inquiringly. 

"I mean that you have no right to go 
where you please, if in so doing you 
injure another. To make it plainer; 



90 GREEN BLUFF. 

You have no right to walk into your 
neighbor's garden in the Spring, when 
seeds sown by him are just sprouting, 
and trample the life out of them, so he 
and his family are deprived of any of 
their food." 

" I don't understand what that has to 
do with my going to Middleville." 

"You don't? Well, my friend, let 
me be still more plain. Now do not be 
offended at me. Every cent you spend 
for liquor at Middleville, takes that 
much food or clothing from your fam- 
ily. Now, have you the right to rob 
them of what is theirs, any more than 
you have to rob me of my property? 
Not so much. You have promised to 
love and cherish your wife; but, in- 
stead, you are preparing to bring misery 
upon her." So said Walter. 

" (xuess my family is not suffering." 



A TEMPERANCE STOKY. 91 

This was said in a churlish tone, while 
Colbert sat down with his Lack to Wal- 
ter, and moodily thumped with his foot 
against the floor. 

"They are not suffering? Why, 
man, what would they have done two or 
three weeks ago, if the town had not 
bought wood and provision for them ?" 

"Well, a fellow can't help getting 
sick — can he \ * 

"Not always; but you could have 
helped that. If it had not been for that 
tramp over to Middleville, you could 
have been at work these last two weeks 
— yes, three weeks. But, as it is, you 
have lost twenty-five or thirty dollars, 
besides having to pay a doctor's bill of 
some ten or twelve dollars. Making a 
total loss of nearly forty dollars, just 
by one spree. 1 ' 

''Well, a fellow must have sqtx\& 



92 GREEN BLUFF. 

thing to cheer him up, occasionally. He 
can't live always down in these mines 
without something to help him." 

" Something to cheer him up ? Does 
it cheer you up, to know that you have 
lost forty dollars ? Do you feel more 
like work now than you did before you 
were sick \ " 

Colbert did not know how to answer 
these questions, without condemning 
himself, so he was silent. Finally, he 
said, " I believe a fellow could do more 
work if he had a dram every morning; 
for about noon I feel kind o' sick and 
faint, and can't half work until I get a 
drink from some of the men." 

"Your belief amounts to nothing, 
when your experience furnishes such 
strong proof to the contrary. Why do 
you feel sick and faint about noon ? Is 
it the appetite you have created, calling 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 93 

out to be satisfied? Of course. You 
used dig as much coal as any man 
here ; but, now, you are far behind 
Jones. How is it ? Why, it is plain to 
any one. You have lost real strength 
since you began your dram-drinking. 
It is true with reference to all the other 
men who drink." 

" 1 hardly ever drink whisky : I 
don't like the taste of it, really. The 
most I ever drink, is beer There can 
be no harm in beer." 

" It invariably creates an appetite for 
some thing stronger. There is where 
the great mischief is. But it is false 
that beer is beneficial in the longr run. 
It may make you stronger for a time, 
but its effects pass off and leave the 
system weaker than before any was 
taken. Your own experience teaches 
this. If it wasn't so, why do you feel 



94 GREEN BLtJFF. 

so faint and sick about the time its 
effects have passed away ? " 

" Oh, well, you needn't be afraid of 
me I will never become a common 
drunkard. I will never abuse my wife. 
Why, I love my family as well as any 
man. If I ever do take a little too 
much, I go right home. I never will 
be found on the streets drunk." 

"So you may think, now; but the 
time will soon come that you cannot say 
your family is not disgraced. Every 
drunkard that ever lived, thought just 
as you do now. I tell you, sir, there is 
but little difference between the beer 
drinker, or tippler, and the common 
drunkard. About the same, as I once 
heard, as that between a pig and a hog 
— it is only a question of time." 

" Why, I know there's no danger in me 
ever becoming a gutter-man — I could 
quit to-day, if I thought it hurt me," 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 95 

" If you can quit to-day, as you "say 
you can, 71 — here Walter arose and put 
one arm around the neck of his friend, 
and kindly, almost affectionately, said — 
"quit ! in the name of all that is pure 
and good, quit! for your family's sake, 
quit ! Can you bear the thought of 
seeing your little girls exposed to the 
taunts of their schoolmates, because 
their father is a drunkard? Think of 
them. Colbert. In the name of your 
soul's best interests, I beg of you to 
quit ! Remember the warning of your 
God — No drunkard shall enter the 
kingdom of God ! This may be the last 
time I will ever speak to you thus; but 
I must, once Hgain, beg you to beware 
of the awful danger into which you are 
running! There is the whistle! we 
must go to work." So saying, he turn- 
ed and left Colbert, who hastened down 
to his place in the mine. 



96 GREEK BLtJFF. 

That afternoon, as both were on their 
way home, Colbert walked up by the 
side of Walter, and in a tremulous tone 
said : " l Bos,' I have heard those words 
of yours ringin' in my ears all day. 
God knows I love my wife. She has 
been a noble woman, sure. Don't think 
me a brute, i bos.' I do love my little 
ones — bless their hearts ! I tell you 
what I am going to do — I am going to 
quit ! " 

11 What's that you say ! " said Walter, 
excitedly, grasping the weeping man by 
the hand; what's that! say that again, 
my man, while I say, 4 Amen,' to it." 

" I am going to quit beer, eider, whis- 
ky, and every thing of the kind; and 
here is my hand on it," said Colbert, 
earnestly, at the same time pressiog 
Walter's hand in his own bony fingers 
as if in a vise. 



A TEMPERANCE STORY, 97 

u Amen!" said Walter. "Your wife 
does not yet know that you have been 
drinking. She has thought that you 
were sick. May she never know it ! 
The future begins to look cheery again. 
Remember, Colbert, total abstinence is 
the only safe course. No man can take 
fire into his bosom and not be burned. 
Do you see ? " 

" I see," he said. 

The next morning the road from Col- 
bert's house to the mine echoed songs 
of gladness that he sang — snatches of 
sacred songs learned at church — songs 
of praise, songs of prayer. He was 
determined to keep his pledge. 

M Here, old fellow, come this way a 
minute," said one of his comrades beck- 
oning around the corner of the super- 
intendent's office. " I have the best ' Old 
Ry e ' y ou ev ^ r tasted. Take a little f 



98 GREEN BLUFF. 

for your stomach's sake. See how it 
sparkles ! What you standi n' there for ? 
Come, I say, and take a little. I haven't 
forgot that you treated last." 

" Thank you," said Colbert ; " I guess 
I can get along without it, to-day." 

" Nonsense, nonsense, man. You look 
pale and weak-like. This will give you 
strength and ruddy cheeks." 

"No: I have decided not to drink 
any more." 

"You have, eh? We will see how 
long you keep your pledge. 'Spect 
Stone has been lecturing you — hasn't 
he? — and you are afraid to be a man, 
and do as you please, eh? " 

This was followed by a derisive 
laugh. Colbert advanced, and took the 
bottle in his hand. He looked at it a 
moment, and then handed it back, say- 
ing — "No, I will not drink this morn 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 99 

ing." He turned to leave, but his com- 
rade grasped his arm and held him fast. 

" Here, Colbert, don't be a baby, to 
be led around by other people's opin- 
ions. Drink, man! drink!" 

Here he removed the cork, and held 
the fatal bottle near Colbert's face. He 
inhaled the fumes — he grasped the bot- 
tle, and, closing his eyes, as if to shut 
out some horrid picture, he quaffed the 
poison, and laughed at his former fears. 

Before night came, the effects of the 
liquor began to pass away — and then 
came a raging thirst for more, and bit- 
ter remorse because his vow had been 
broken. He now began to see how firm 
the tyrant held him. He had, before, 
thought himself master of his appetite ; 
but now he felt that he was a plaything 
in its hands. 

He stopped his work several times, 



100 GREEN BLUFF. 

being lost in reverie. At times, he felt 
as if he was rapidly descending a steep 
hill, at the foot of which was a pit, 
dark, deep and dreadful, into which he 
must descend, as there was nothing to 
stay his downward course, but every 
thing to accelerate it. In imagination, 
he felt himself on the very verge of the 
gulf, and made one desperate effort to 
avoid the last fatal plunge. This wak- 
ened him from the reverie. 

" O God ! save me ! " burst from his 
lips. There he again renewed his 
pledge, with God as his witness, and 
until late in the evening worked hard 
to recover what he had lost by his 
dreamy stupor. 

He went home, a sadder, but a wiser 
man. 



A TEMPERANCE STORY 101 



CHAPTER IX. 

Winter has passed. Many have 
been the changes in Green Bluff. The 
railroad, long in contemplation, has 
been completed as far as this village. 
To put a bridge across the river here, 
required no little time and not a few 
men. The majority of the workmen 
were foreigners, principally Irishmen. 
They brought their intemperate habits 
with them. Attracted by the natural 
beauty of Green Bluff, as well as its 
convenience to their work and cheap 
living, they purchased or rented houses 
and became bona fide citizens of the 
place. 

Spring election of town-officers is 
over. Three new councilmen are elect- 



102 GREEN BLUFF. 

ed. Two of the former Board are re- 
elected. 

Since the incorporation of the village 
there has been an ordinance in force, 
fixing the rate to be paid for license to 
sell liquor so high, that no one ever for 
a moment entertained the thought that 
any one would apply for a license, for 
had the application been granted (which 
was next to impossible, on account of 
the stern temperance principles of the 
community and of the councilmen usu- 
ally elected) — had the application been 
granted, the fee would have consumed 
all the profits and dipped deep into the 
capital of the dealer. 

The first meeting of the new Board 
passed off without any unusual occur- 
rence. The second meeting was not so 
fortunate. Of its doings we have to 
speak in this chapter. 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 103 

11 Is there any other business to come 
before this Board to-night?" said the 
chairman, pushing aside the papers 
before him on the desk, removing his 
glasses, and preparing to adjourn the 
Board. 

"There is, sir." 

So said Mr. Templeton, one of the 
new members, rising to his feet, and 
bowing patronizingly to the chair. 

The chairman looked at him in sur- 
prise, as he had been silent nearly all the 
evening firing the session of the Board, 
while the other members leaned for- 
ward to catch the words of the speaker, 
who seemed somewhat embarrassed. 

"I move you, sir," he continued, "that 
this Board grant James Patterson, when 
he shall have complied with the re- 
quirements of the ordinance, license to 
sell liquor, as a beverage, in this town." 



104 GREEK BLVFP. 

Trembling with excitement which this 
bold step had caused, he sat down, wip- 
ing great drops of perspiration from his 
brow, and glancing anxiously at Mr. 
Furtherton, another new member, who 
hesitated a moment, and then arose, 
saying, "I second the motion." 

Had an earthquake shaken the room 
in which they were assembled, the 
chairman and the two old members 
could not have been more astonished 
and alarmed. 

One of them, Mr. Stone, sprang to his 
feet, and forgetting parliamentary usage 
and order, said : "I move he don't." 

" Order, gentlemen ! " said the chair- 
man, recovering from his surprise, yet 
agitated greatly. "We surely have 
nothing to fear from this motion. Let 
the subject be thoroughly discussed, 
and I am persuaded the mover will see 
his mistake and withdraw his motion." 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 105 

" Not much, he won't," said Temple- 
ton, in an undertone. 

The chairman then said : 

" It is moved and seconded, gentle- 
men, that this Board grant James Pat- 
terson — when he shall have complied 
with the requirements of the ordinance 
— license to sell liquor as a beverage in 
this town. Are you ready for the ques- 
tion?" 

"No, sir!" said Mr. Stone, rising. 
" We hope never to be ready to vote on 
that question in this Board. It is a 
disgrace to the hitherto fair name of our 
loved town, that such a motion should 
ever be made. I can scarcely believe 
my ears. I can account for the course 
pursued by the mover on no grounds 
whatever. 

" He is a young man, sir, with no son 
exposed to the danger which a licensed 



! .06 GREEN BLUFF'. 

whisky saloon would present, else he 
could not have the courage to make 
such a motion here. I say again, sir, 
I cannot see what motive presses him 
to such a course. The fate of our neigh- 
boring villages ought to be enough to 
deter him from such a course. 

"You see that I am excited, sir. I 
do not deny it : I am glad of it. I hope 
never to get to a point where I will not 
be excited, when such a proposition is 
made. 

" I love my son, sir, and my daughter 
— but rather than see the one a drunk- 
ard, or the other connected with a 
drunkard in marriage, I would follow 
them gladly to the gr " 

"I call the gentleman to order!" said 
Templeton, excitedly. 

"What is your point of order, sir?" 
asked the chairman. 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 107 

" He is off the question. We are not 
discussing his love for his children. 
That has nothing to do with this 
motion." 

" It has very much to do with it, sir 
Proceed, Mr. Stone," said the chairman 

U I was going to say that, however 
much I love my children, I would rath- 
er follow them to the grave, to-day, 
than to see them made intemperate 
and die drunkards. If they die now, I 
believe that in the bright hereafter 
I will see them again. If they fill a 
drunkard's grave, I'll never see them 
any more. I know how frail human 
nature is, and I will always use every 
means possible to keep temptation 
away from my son or daughter. There- 
fore, I will never vote for licensing 
saloons. Never! Hope my arm may 
fall withered by my side, if ever I raise 
it to further such damnable traffic." 



108 GREEN BLUFF. 

" My old friend seems much in earn- 
est about this question," said Mr. Wise, 
another new member, and a lawyer, re- 
cently come to town. He had been 
there barely long enough to make him 
eligible to a position in the Board — but 
elected he was — how, no one scarcely 
could tell. He was about middle-age, 
and was prepossessing in appearance; 
often keen in argument, and deliberate 
and impressive in delivery — some- 
times, he rose to impassioned oratory. 

On this night, he stood with one foot 
resting on the floor, and the other on 
the chair in which he had been sitting, 
while he toyed with his glasses, which 
hung suspended by a silken cord in a 
button-hole. The glasses he wore more 
for effect than utility. He continued : 

" I like his earnestness ; but unfor 
tunately, he forgets the question, seem- 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 109 

ingly, and endeavors to move this 
Board to vote according to his views — 
not by presenting arguments to move 
their minds, but by appealing to their 
sympathies. Such a manner of arguing 
is puerile. Sir, we must look at this 
question from a business stand-point, 
and leave our feelings, as fathers, quite 
out of consideration; for we are here 
to legislate for the best interests of the 
town, without allowing our personal 
feelings to prejudice our actions. You 
know, perhaps, of the Roman consul, 
who signed his own son's death war- 
rant, when he saw, by so doing, he would 
add to the stability of the government 
he represented. Such an act was then, 
and is now, considered in the highest 
degree heroic, and was the purest kind 
of patriotism. The same spirit should 
actuate us in our actions here as repre- 
sentatives of this town. 



110 GREEN BLUFF. 

" My position is this : " If we can see 
that, by licensing saloons, we can add to 
the wealth or beauty of our village, it 
then becomes our duty to license them. 
That it will add to our wealth, is a fore- 
gone conclusion. Yet, that these present 
may see it clearly, I will undertake to 
show how this is done. 

" Now, you must admit, that whatever 
adds to the business of this place, adds 
to its wealth. There is no use denying 
that there are scores of farmers, living 
in adjacent neighborhoods, who would 
come to this place with their produce, 
if they could get here their usual daily 
dram. This, they will have, somehow 
or other. If they cannot get it here, 
they will go where they can get it. We 
make no inebriates ; we only take 
advantage of an existing evil — if you 
contend that moderate drinking is an 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. Ill 

evil — and cause it to minister to our 
good. Is that not right? Another 
point I would mention, is this : lately, 
our place has had an addition of some 
fifty or more citizens. These spenl 
their earnings here, and consequently 
add to the income of our place. But, 
sir, we cannot hold these laborers if 
their privileges are restricted. They 
have come to us with habits firmly es- 
tablished. One of those habits is dram 
drinking. The Irishman can not do 
without his whisky any more than my 
old friend here can do without his oof- 
fee, morning and night. Now, sir, if 
we open a saloon here, they will not go 
to Middleville to buy their whisky and 
other necessaries, but will remain here, 
with all their money — buying both 
whisky and provisions of our mer- 
chants. Thus you see, sir, our business 



112 GREEN BLUFF. 

will be materially increased, and conse- 
quently our wealth, too. 

" Do you ask how our town will be 
increased in beauty ? Sir, the amount 
named in our ordinance is simply enor- 
mous. When that amount is paid in — 
which will be done, of course, before 
license is granted by the town clerk — 
we can appropriate the amount — five 
hundred dollars I believe — to beautify 
oui already handsome square, and then 
in other years to grading our streets, 
ornamenting our cemetery, and in vari- 
ous other ways. 

"Now, sir, I see no cause for the fears 
which my old friend has given expres- 
sion to — that is, fears that his boy will 
become an inebriate That is no argu- 
ment, as I take it, for or against the 
question — but I speak now to soothe his 
troubled heart {sarcastically). His boy 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 113 

is quite a young man, if I am not in- 
formed incorrectly, and has passed quite 
out of reach of such influence. He 
sports the dignified title of Superintend- 
ent of Green Bluff Mines; surely he 
would not stoop to such a practice as 
dram drinking, especially since he has, 
no doubt, been so faithfully instructed 
in the right way by my old friend. 

" I hope, sir, the question will be 
voted on to-night, and trust the motion 
will prevail." 

He sat down, chuckling inwardly at 
what, he thought, sharp thrusts at Mr. 
Stone, and looking wisely toward Tem- 
pleton and Furtherton, who seemed de- 
lighted with his little speech. 

"Mr. Chairman," said Mr. Stone, 
rising as soon as Wise had finished, " I 
am no lawyer, and may not present my 
thoughts as clearly and forcibly as the 



114 GREEN BLUFF* 

gentleman just seated, nor may I be 
free from allowing my sympathies to 
get the better of me; but, yet, there 
are some things connected with this 
question, which I know as well as any 
one. 

" I admit, sir, that it is our duty as 
councilmen to act for the best interests 
of the town, without regard to personal 
feelings. I grant the gentlemen, who 
have presented and supported this mo- 
tion, the highest regard for our town's 
welfare ; but must say they have a mis- 
taken way of showing it. 

" I admire the heroic spirit and pa- 
triotism of the Roman consul, who 
signed his son's death warrant when he 
saw that, by doing so, he would benefit 
his country. I am willing to imitate 
him under similar circumstances. The 
fact is, sir, that his son had violated a 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 115 

law, the penalty of which was death. 
That the law might remain inviolate as 
to penalty, he caused his son to die. 
On the same principle, I am willing to 
sacrifice both the wealth and beauty of 
our State or town, if the law of our 
Great and only rightful King, God the 
Father, may remain inviolate. He has 
said, Love your neighbor as yourself! 
Now, sir, I would not set a trap to-night 
in my path home, where I may lose my 
life by stumbling into it, because of my 
poor sight caused by old age. Neither 
will I set a trap where my friends, 
whose judgment is blinded by their 
strong appetite for drink, may lose not 
only their natural life, but may be lost 
eternally. 

"My lawyer friend has presented 
some arguments in favor of license, on 
the ground that saloons will increase 



XX 6 GREEN BLUFF. 

our wealth : but, sir, lie argues against 
facts ! A comparison between the thrift 
and wealth of this place and that of any 
village where the license system pre- 
vails, is sufficient to overturn his seem- 
ingly plausible arguments. 

"He says, sir, that unless we open 
this saloon, that we will lose some fifty 
or more citizens. Who are these citi- 
zens? The laborers on the railroad. 

" Now, sir, I am a poor day laborer, 
and I have no word against these people 
on that score — but the sooner we get 
clear of such people, the better. Why? 
They, sir, were the remote cause of this 
motion to-night. It was their cunning 
and votes that put these men into our 
Board. Their example is pernicious. 
If they cannot stay in our midst with- 
out bringing their debasing habits — let 
them go. Which, sir, is greater— the 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 117 

few dollars they will add to our wealth, 
or the souls of some of our best boys? 
The gentleman may sneer at my fear 
that my son, or your son, may be lured 
into the hell-hole he would have opened 
— but, I tell you, our only safe course 
is to keep clear of all danger. That 
was a wise coachman, who said he kept 
as far from the edge of a precipice as 
possible; and he was foolish who, to 
test his skill, drove as near the edge as 
possible. 

" If we grant the license, and receive 
the sum of five hundred dollars, very 
little of it will go to beautifying our 
place. The greater part will be needed 
to hire police to keep order in day time, 
and to employ watchmen to guard us 
while we sleep. Do you want proof? 
Go to our neighbor, Middleville. Why 
men will present theory, when practice 
is entirely against it, is strange to me," 



118 GREEN BLUFF, 

Mr. Newcome then arose, and said, 
in his dry, yet clear and practical style : 

" Mr. Wise said we could ornament 
our cemetery with the proceeds of this 
traffic, and could beautify our square. 
Just so ! Imagine a dozen of our best 
mechanics, or a dozen of our bright, 
promising town's boys, lying under the 
trees of our park, insensible, vomiting, 
cursing. What beauty it adds ! In- 
stead of the orderly company gathering 
around our public wells, imagine a score 
of reeling, swearing men, marching 
down our streets. How charming the 
sound of their ribaldry! Go to our 
cemetery, years hence, and read the 
record on a score of graves. Died of 
delirium tremens; aged 16! Killed by 
a drunken friend ; aged 20 ! What 
ornaments ! 

"No sir! I'll never vote for any 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 119 

such motion. God has said, ( Cursed is 
every man that putteth the bottle to 
his neighbor's lips,' and if I vote for this 
motion, I put myself liable to that 
curse. i God is not slack concerning 
his promises as some men count slack- 
ness/ for the day of vengeance closely 
follows the transgression. If we grant 
this request, our fate as a community is 
sealed." 

During the delivery of the last two 
speeches, the other three councilmen 
sat sullenly thumping their chairs with 
their fingers, or exchanging words and 
looks of scorn. When Mr. Newcome 
had finished, they called for the ques- 
tion, which was put by the chairman, 
and resulted in three votes for the li- 
cense and two against. 

All hope was not gone. Mr. Stone 
and Mr Newcome did not believe th 



120 GKEEN BLUFF. 

license fee would be paid by Patterson, 
so the saloon could not be opened. 

"Any further business," asked the 
chairman, as was customary. 

u Yes, sir, said Templeton. "I move, 
sir, that the ordinance be so changed as 
to require seventy-five dollars per an- 
num for license to sell liquor, instead of 
five hundred, as it now is." 

" I second the motion," said Further- 
ton. 

All hope was now gone. 

The chairman put the question, which 
resulted as forseen. 

Furtherton, Templeton, and Wise vo- 
ted for it. Stone and Newcome voted 
against it. 

"An' how did it go, Misther Wise?" 
said Patterson, as that gentleman step- 
ped out into the street where Patter- 
gon awaited him, 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 121 

u All right, Jimmie ; all right, of 
course. We had it too well fixed up to 
lose our case ! " 

"An' did you git the license put 
down, too % " 

"You bet we did." 

"An' I'm right glad of that; for 
shure it'd be all day wid me if you 
hadn't. An' how much is it now ? " 

" Only seventy-five, Jimmie." 

" Only sheventy-five, ish it. Golly ! 
that's good, now, shure! Can make 
money, an' no doubt." 

" Going to open out right away, Jim- 
mie ? " 

"Jist so soon as I git my papers. 
An' when will that be ? " 

" You can get it to-morrow." 

"Well, then to-morrow, she will be 
opened out shure, sir. Here's your 
money," 



122 Green bluff. 



CHAPTER X. 

Tiie next afternoon, true to promise, 
Patterson had his sign swinging in front 
of his door — " Sunny Side Saloon," was 
roughly sketched upon it. The house 
was small and poorly furnished, situ- 
ated in an out-of-the-way place, yet suf- 
ficiently conspicuous to attract the at- 
tention of those desiring any of the 
goods he had for sale. 

The news of this saloon's existence 
caused no little consternation in Green 
Bluff. It was the subject for discussion 
in every store-room and at every work, 
shop in the town. Many and bitter 
denunciations were heaped upon the 
proprietor, and his accomplices, Wise, 
Templeton, and Furtherton; but they 



A TEMTERANCE STORY. 123 

availed naught — the mischief was done. 
For one year at least it must remain a 
fountain of corruption in the com- 
munity. 

Few were the customers that Patter- 
son had until after nightfall. After 
darkness came, his little room was well 
filled by men and boys. Some came to 
see ; some to buy. 

The proprietor was in exuberant 
spirits. He was shrewd. Beer and ale 
and whisky were dealt out with great 
freedom, and almost without cost. He 
knew that an appetite, once created, 
knew no bounds scarcely, hence his de- 
sire to have all present take a little. 

Toward the hour of nine he mounted 
a bench and began a harangue. 

" Min and b'ys, I've niver bin much 
at spaKhe making but I must tell ye, to- 
night, that Jimmie Patterson knows as 



124 GREEN BLUFF, 

well as any one how to mix up first-rate 
dhrinks, an' that right chape. I mane 
to kape no low house — no, sir'ee. Mine 
is to be a respect'ble house. I'm your 
friend, min. I know ye's git tired of 
your shops and homes sometimes, and 
want to be frae for a little while. Ye's 
want to be frae — to do as ye likes. To 
sleeps if ye likes, and to drinks if ye 
likes. Come, then, to my house — to 
my Sunny Side — an' you'll al'us find 
Jimmie at home, an' a hearty welcome 
to ye. Come, now, my b'ys, let's have 
a good old dhrink all 'round ! " 

So saying, he took his place behind 
the counter, and dealt out the beer as 
fast as called for. His speech and treat 
was received somewhat indifferently by 
most present ; a few persons, however, 
cheered him by promises of patronage. 

When they were gone, he sat pausing 



A TEMPERANCE STOEY. 125 

on the prospect before him. It was not 
as flattering as he desired or expected. 
Suddenly starting up, he hurried to his 
money box, saying half aloud, "An 
shure I 'most forgot to reck'n up me 
'arnings. Purty slim show, now, in- 
dade, seeing an' thare's a whole keg of 
beer gone already ! Well, never mint, 
now. We will get it all back, I guess, 
afore miny days/' 

Patterson was not of the lowest class. 
His appearance was somewhat attrac- 
tive. Brought up without any religious 
training at all, he knew but little about 
moral obligations, and cared less. His 
object was to keep out of the clutches 
of the law, and make all he could by 
any means whatever. His shrewd na- 
ture told him that there was money in 
the liquor traffic to the dealer, even if it 
did bankrupt the buyer. What did he 



126 GREEK BLtJFF. 

care for that ? To use his own language 
— when upbraided by some citizens for 
opening his saloon — ■ 

" An' it is nothin' to mae, gintlemin, 
if min do spend all their 'arnings at my 
shop. Let thim sae to that If it bere 
wrong to sell beer an' such like, why did 
ye good people license mae to do it, 
now, an 7 I'd like to know ? 

" Ye sae yerself it's right, or else ye'r 
mimbers of congress, or what do you call 
it, whould no say I might sell — d'ye 
sae ? The Vys will grow up dhrunkards 
— d'ye sae? Well, well, so I likes. The 
more dhrunk they gits, the more liquors 
they buy. Ha! ha! that's what's I like. 

" D'ye other merchants not do all the 
kin to git custom an' to kape it ? Thin 
so will I. An' shure I will." 

In vain they remonstrated. He had 
the law on his side and felt safe. They 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 127 

saw the force of his argument, that he 
ha 1 a legal right to sell as long as the 
legislature or town council granted a 
license, thus recognizing his wholesale 
murder as a legitimate business. 

Before the week was out, Patterson 
found he had quite a good run of custom, 
as he had all the men who were work- 
ing on the bridge and many of the mi- 
ners who formerly had gone to Middle- 
ville for beer. The latter class visited 
his saloon only at night. The other 
class were more bold, and openly w r ent 
for their dram. 

Patterson was a good violinist, at 
least so thought the boys of Green Bluff, 
and he was not long in discovering their 
liking for such music. Nightly, they 
would gather in the vicinity of his shop 
to listen to the music. They did not 
often venture inside. He did not urge 



128 GREEN BLUFF. 

them to do so. He knew it was not wise 
to do so. 

"Ah, Jimmie," said Wise, on the 
Monday morning following the opening 
of his shop, " you got a sound drubbing 
yesterday." 

"Indade, yer honor, yer mistaken, 
shure. Niver has Jimmie Patterson 
iver bin drubbed, an 7 surely not yister- 
day." 

" Yes, you were, Jimmie, but I sup- 
pose you didn't feel it — but, perhaps, 
you will." 

" An' what is it you mane ? " 

" Why I understand all of the parsons 
in town let loose all their thunder and 
lightning against your little shop. They 
are going to make it hot for you, Jim- 
mie. Can you stand it, eh ? " 

"I'll give 'em back as hot as they 
send, now ye sae if I don't" 



A TEMPERANCE STORY 129 

"That's right, Jimraie; stand your 
ground : but you will have a hard fight. 
They mustered all their children up at 
Sunday School, and made them take a 
pledge of total abstinence." 

"An' what's that?" 

" Made them promise never to drink 
wine, whisky, beer, or cider. 

"Ha! ha! ha! That's a good joke. 
I'll tell ye'r honor. I'll fix 'em. I'll have 
the best of them dhrunk, shure, before 
winter comes ag'in. Now you jist sae." 

" I don't know about that, Jimmie. 
You had better go slow. I would hate 
to see some of those lads rolling round 
these streets. Besides, it is getting 
rather hot for me any how in these parts. 
They blame me for this whole thing. 1 
believe (if I were you) I would keep 
clear of selling to the boys that come 
around your shop." 



130 GREEN BLUFF. 

" An' what's that you sae ? Kape 
cl'are sellin' to b'ys as come around my 
shop ? No, sir'ee. I pays my license to 
sell, an' I sells. I sells to man, woman, 
or chile, jist all the same. If it be no 
right to sell to the b'ys, it is no right to 
sell to the min. If it be right to sell to 
the min, it is right to sell to b'ys. D'ye 
sae?" 

"But, Jimmie, you mustn't forget 
your friends. You see it is getting 
rather warm for me here, because every 
body says I was the cause of your open- 
ing this thing, and they are doing all 
they can to hurt my business." 

"An 1 shure I don't sae that at all. 
Didn't them other min help out? 
Didn't Tempultun and Furdertun vote 
wid ye?" 

"Yes: but, you see, I did all the 
talking and wire- working." 



A TEMPERANCE STOKY. 131 

"An' didn't Jininiie Patterson pay ye 
for it?" 

"Yes." 

"Thin, what's ye growlin' 'bout him 
forffettin' his friends for?" 

Wise was somewhat alarmed at Pat- 
terson's attitude, as he was working for 
popular favor. Having made all he 
could out of him, he sought now to get 
back to his old place in public opinion. 

That night Patterson began to lay 
plans for thwarting the designs of the 
pastors and Sunday-school superintend- 
ents of Green Bluff. A legion of devils 
seemed to have taken possession of him. 
He aimed at the brightest marks in the 
town. 



132 GREET* BLOTT. 



CHAPTER XL 

Spring had gone, and Summer was 
waning fast. Sunny Side Saloon was 
increasing in business, and its keeper 
becoming more bold and unscrupulous 
in his workings for patronage. Thus 
far, the evil effects of the saloon were 
seen only in the loungers who gathered 
on the street corners and stood around 
the door of Patterson's establishment. 
The fear that existed in the hearts of 
some was passing away. Pastors and 
church officials, teachers and parents, 
were less active in their warfare against 
the traffic — in their warnings were less 
constant and earnest. Not so with Pat- 
terson. He remembered and cherished 
the vow to ruin the strongest of the 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 133 

temperance band that had been formed. 
To do this, was no small task. He felt 
himself aggrieved in that the town had 
granted him license to sell, and yet 
permitted, even encouraged, systematic 
opposition to his business. He wanted 
revenge, and was determined to have it 
— but these thoughts he kept in his 
own heart. 

Charlie Hayes was not a boy whose 
pride ruled his judgment; yet he was 
in no way deficient in the former. The 
flattering remarks of his friends did 
much toward increasing his stock of 
self-esteem. That was natural. After 
a time it became apparent that he loved 
to hear his name spoken in connection 
with " best declainier," " fine gestures," 
" perfect grace of manner." That be- 
came his weak point. Who of us have 
not our weaknesses ? 



134 GREEN BLUFF. 

"An' I jist was tellin' of these min, 
that they niver heerd the like of ye in 
spakin," said Patterson to Charlie, one 
afternoon, as he was passing his shop. 

" You flatter me," said Charlie, bow- 
ing and passing on. 

" Niver a bit of it. Jist you step in 
here and let these gintlemen hear ye." 

"An', faith, we wid be pl'ased if ye 
wid," said one of Patterson's "gintle- 
min," rising and bowing profoundly. 

" Indade, we wid," said a half-dozen 
others in chorus. All who happened 
to be then present, were of Patterson's 
kind. 

" But I am afraid I would not please 
you if I should. My declamation that 
I speak best, is a temperance address, 
called the "Drunkard's Fall," said 
Charlie, blushing." 

" An', indade, that wid pl'ase us. We 






A TEMPERANCE STORY. J* 

are no dhrunkards and mane niver to 
bae. Do ye think no better of us thin 
that ? " replied Patterson, in an assumed 
manner of injured innocence. 

" Speak it for them," whispered 
Pride; "for (as an excuse and argu- 
ment) it may do them good." 

" Remember your pledge," said Con- 
science. "It requires that you go not 
into the way of the destroyer." 

"Unless to rescue some friend," said 
Pride and Ambition, together. 

" It is useless to try to save these men 
— so long have they been slaves to their 
appetites," said Conscience, " so do not 
place yourself in danger when there is 
no hope of success." 

These thoughts passed rapidly 
through his mind as he stood half 
undecided. 

"Come right in, min; he will spake 
to us, I know." 



136 GREEN BLUFF. 

They all followed Patterson into the 
saloon and ranged themselves around 
the room, while Charlie took his place 
on a bench set out for him. lie spoke, 
but with little ease to himself. When 
he had finished, all were loud in their 
praise. Some declared they never 
would drink another drop. Unsuspect- 
ing, Charlie did not notice that their 
pledges of abstinence were ironical. 

He hastened home, pleased with his 
afternoon's work. But could he tell his 
mother? "No," he said to himself; "I 
must not. She is so peculiar about my 
going near such places, it will only 
frighten her. I won't tell any one. I 
wish I hadn't gone in. Wonder if those 
men were in earnest? If they only 
were! Pshaw! how foolish to think I 
could move them from the wrong." 

" An' shure, I didn't belave he'd bite 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 137 

so 'asy. Jist be 'asy, min ; things move 
all right. The ice is broke. He's been 
in. That much of the plidge is broke, 
iny how. We'll fix 'em ! " said Patter- 
son, after Charlie had gone. 

" Ye did your parts nice, min. Come 
an' dhrink a glass of beer to the tim- 
prince plidge." 

"Ye have 'em share, Jimmie. An 
you may count on us to help ye." 

Charlie's ambitious spirit would not 
let him remain idle during the vacation 
months. During this time he usually 
made such progress in his studies as to 
gain a full term on his class. This close 
application told on his health. The 
ruddy glow faded from his cheek, and 
the sparkle passed from his eye, unless 
excited by reading or conversation. 

His mother watched him with tender 
solicitude, and little May, his sister, 



138 GREEN BLUFF. 

though so young, noticed the change, 
and oftentimes tried in vain to call back 
the buoyant spirit. 

Patterson noticed the change, too. 

"Charlie, ye're as thin as a shader, 
and as pale as the moon; ye're not sick 
now?" he said one day, as he met him 
on the street, reaching out his hand, 
and giving Charlie a hearty clasp. 

" Not sick, but very tired." 

"Tired ? An' what's ye bin doin' ? " 

" Nothing but reading, and such like." 

" An' does ye're bones ache, as is ye 
cold all the time 'round your feet and 
hands, whiles ye're head hot ? " 

"Just exactly," said Charlie, interested. 
"How do you know so well how I feel?" 

"Ah ! my b'y, I knows," said Patter- 
son, with a knowing shake of the head. 
An' I knows what'll set you up all 
right." 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 139 

"Do tell me. I have suffered so 
much this summer from pains in my 
bones, and cold feet and hot head, that 
I would take almost any kind of medi- 
cine." 

"Well, my rimeda may not suit ye's 
— but, it's good an' shure." 

"What is it?" 

" An' it's nothin' but London porter/ 

"Oh! I can't take that!" said Char- 
lie, quickly. 

"An' why?" 

" Because I've signed the temperance 
pledge, and it says we must not drink 
any kind of ale or beer." 

"Jist so: but it says as biverage, 
doesn't it? This is midicine, shure. 
Grate dale of dif rence. 

"Yes, I know. But, mother would 
not want me to use it." 

" Nonsinse, chile ; ye'r mither would 



140 GREEN BLUFF. 

let ye have any thing that wid help her 
b'y ; an' I'm shure ye're too smart a lad 
to die whin ye can live." 

"How do you know it will do me 
good ? " 

" I knows it will. But try it, and sae 
for yerself. I'll bring ye a bottle, as I 
go home, to-night. It shan't cost you a 
cint. Ye can try it, an' if it isn't as I 
say, ye needn't buy any more. That's 
all." 

Charlie went home and told his moth 
er all about the conversation with Pat- 
terson. At first she refused to let him 
take the prescribed remedy ; but finally 
concluded it was her duty, as a mother, 
to do all she could to preserve her son's 
health, and consented to his receiving 
the ale and using it. How much better 
and safer it would have been for her 
to have removed the cause of Charlie's 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 141 

poor health, by putting aside his books 
and forcing him out into the fresh air, 
instead of allowing the cause to remain, 
and trying to counteract the effect by 
another opposite cause. 

That night Patterson stopped and 
left the bottle of ale at Mrs. Hayes', and 
expressed great concern for the health 
of her boy. His kindness touched a 
tender chord, and she felt that he had 
been traduced by man y. 

u He is not such a hard-hearted man, 
after all," she said to Charlie, as she 
was afterward talking the matter over 
with him. "I offered to pay for the 
bottle of ale, but he refused, and said 
he would be paid if you could only get 
well and stout again." She looked ad- 
miringly at her boy, who lay stretched 
on the sofa, thin and haggard. If she 
could have only seen the serpent hid 



142 GREEN BLUFF. 

away in Patterson's heart — but the did 
not. If she had only remembered the 
command to avoid every appearance of 
evil — but she did not. 

True to Patterson's word, Charlie did 
feel better after drinking the ale a day 
or two. He came to the table with a 
renewed appetite. Some of the old 
lustre came back to his eyes; some of 
the buoyancy of spirit returned. With 
these came a love for the remedy. At 
first it was disagreeable to the taste — 
now it was pleasant. He sought it for 
every symptom of pain. It generally 
proved efficient. Weekly he visited 
Patterson's to get a new supply. Pat- 
terson was considerate, and sold it to 
him at cost. Bat, even then, it was 
dear medicine for him. This Patterson 
knew. 

Could Charlie and his mother have 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 143 

seen the maliciousness that lurked in 
Patterson's heart, and have heard the 
boasts he made, they would have been 
more wary. 

Why did they not suspect his de- 
signs? Would they trust a professed 
burglar, and welcome him to their 
homes? Would they toy with a ser- 
pent, and fold it in their bosoms? 
They did. 



144 GREEN BLUFF. 



CHAPTER XII. 

The sluice-gate had been raised, and 
Green Bluff was threatened with inun- 
dation by intemperance and its accom- 
panying vices. 

The railroad was completed. It had 
given a new impetus to the business of 
our town — hitherto a quiet, attractive 
village; now a wide-awake, bustling 
young city, 

Mr. Thomas was in ecstasies. His 
property had increased in value nearly 
two-fold. His new store-rooms were 
done and all occupied, save one, which 
he had been holding for better terms 
than had been offered. He sat alone in 
his office, in early autumn, not engaged 
in writing, as usual, but in a reverie. 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 145 

Immense wealth lay just before him. A 
few years more must come and go, and 
then he could retire from active busi- 
ness a millionaire. He was already 
trembling with age, but was as eager 
for wealth as if he had just en tered life 
and had every assurance of many years 
to live. The thoughts that occupied his 
mind thrilled his every nerve by their 
strange power. He could sit still no 
longer. Springing to his feet, and fold- 
ing his arms behind him, he strode to 
and fro across his office with sparkling 
eye, flushed face, and tightly compress- 
ed lips. He seemed to strain every 
nerve, as if he would force time in its 
sluggish movements, and bring within 
his immediate grasp what he was sure 
lay but a few years — perhaps only one 
year — from him. As before intimated, 
he had two idols — money and his son. 



J 46 GREEN BLUFF. 

He was regularly at church, and 
watched the speaker with fixed atten- 
tion ; but his thoughts were not of God 
— they looked not so high. In the quiet 
of the sanctuary he planned his busi- 
ness. From the house of worship he 
went home thoughtfully — but the text 
he pondered was money. "I will stay in 
this city, and get gain," he said contin- 
ually to himself. Was he a Christian ? 
He thought so. He gave of his earthly 
substance to the support of the Gospel ; 
he prayed when called on in public — 
prayed the same prayer always ; he 
prayed at night before retiring — he 
could not shake off this habit of his 
earlier years. 

He was interrupted in his walk and 
reverie by the entrance of a neatly at- 
tired man, who accosted him with — 

"Mr. Thomas, I believe. Jones, ia 
my name." 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 117 

" Be seated, Mr. Jones." 

"I understand, Mr. Thomas, you 
Lave a store-room, on Main street, un- 
occupied, which you desire to rent." 

" Just so, sir ; do you wish to rent it ?" 

"I do, if we can make satisfactory 
terms." 

" My price is seemingly high ; but 1 
will rent for no less. I can get that by- 
and-by, if not now. I want forty dol 
lars per month, always in advance." 

Jones raised his eyes in astonish 
ment. After a few other words, with- 
out affecting a reduction, he agreed to 
take the room. 

"What is your business?" queried 
Mr. Thomas. 

"I desire to open a respectable bil- 
liard saloon, sir, with a genteel bar in 
connection with it," he replied blandly. 

" Indeed ! " said Thomas, somewhat 
surprised. 



148 GBEEN BLUEF. 

"Yes, I think so enterprising a 
place as this needs some such place 
for the amusement of the young men. 
There is nothing so entertaining as bil- 
liards ; it is really an intellectual game." 

"Yes, yes: I suppose it is. But I 
am thinking you will find poor patron- 
age, here. As to your bar, I think one 
saloon is enough for a place like this." 

" Never fear for my patronage. I un- 
derstand my business, sir. I intend to 
make my room as attractive as possible. 
As to the other saloon, I have nothing 
to fear from that. Indeed, it has been 
my best friend I have already been 
told that some of the gentlemen of your 
place, who have gone to Patterson's occa- 
sionally, have desired a respectable place 
to visit : such a place mine shall be." 

"J fear it will cause some of our 
young men to grow up profligates — 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 149 

(said Thomas, half to himself — this con- 
fession was forced oat by his troubled 
conscience) and if it does won't I be 
blamed for it ? " 

u Xot at all, sir; not at all. Just let 
me show you how that is. Your busi- 
ness is to build store-rooms to rent. In 
doing that, you add to the wealth and 
attractiveness of your town, and do your 
duty as one of its citizens. Don't you 
see? Well, now, when a man comes to 
you to rent one of those rooms, you rent 
it to him, provided he pays your price. 
Now, it is not your place to inquire what 
use he is going to make of it, just so he 
don't abuse it. Don 1 1 you see ? If I go 
to a merchant, and buy a rope, he doesn't 
inquire if I am going to hang myself, or 
some one else. Don't you see?" 

Thomas thought he saw. He was 
very willing to see. The four ten dol- 



150 GREEK BLUFF. 

lar bills, fluttering in the hand of Jones, 
opened his eyes, and hastened his efforts 
to still his conscience that was crying 
out against the act. He took the 
money and nervously tucked it away in 
his purse. His conscience lashed- him 
as it never had before. 

" It is not my fault. I didn't know 
what his business was." He said to 
himself. 

"It is your fault. You did know 
what his business is, before you ever 
touched the money," said Conscience. 

"I can't help it now." 

"You can help it. Take the money 
back, and add another ten to it, rather 
than be an accessory to such a crime," 
replied Conscience. 

"It isn't a crime. The town licenses 
such places. I can't help it." 

"It is a crime. You can help it" 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 151 

" If he doesn't get ray room, he will 
rent some other" 

44 Then, clear your own skirts. Re* 
member, ' Cursed is the man that put- 
teth the bottle to his neighbor's lips.' " 

U FU use the money for charitable 
purposes — at least part of it." 

Stilling his conscience by this plea, 
he gathered up his hat and hurried out, 
to rid himself of any further thoughts 
on the subject. In vain were all his 
efforts, until time hushed the warning 
voice within him. 

As Judas betrayed his Master for 
thirty pieces, so had Thomas betray- 
ed the safety of his own son and the 
interests of his town for a paltry sum. 
Judas 1 remorse of conscience came too 
late to save him from the penalty of his 
crime. Will Thomas reap a like bitter 
harvest? " He that soweth to the wind 
shall reap the whirlwind." 



152 GREEN BLUFF. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

Jones was not dilatory in opening his 
billiard-hall. True, it was as he said, 
he understood his business. A musical 
instrument, which played a variety of 
tunes in a most charming manner, was 
purchased, and immediately installed. 
A passer-by, hearing the sweet sounds 
within, would imagine that a brass band 
of the greatest skill was the cause. At 
other times, when the instrument was 
changed, he would suppose an orchestra, 
composed of organ, piano, flute, violin, 
bass viol, and cornet, rendered the 
^nusic. 

It requires no strong imagination to 
conceive 1 he influence this combination 
of curious mechanism and sweet sound 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 153 

would have upon the youth of Green 
Bluff. As the simple music of Patter- 
son's violin and vocal powers lured 
them near to his den, so the exquisite 
strains of Jones' establishment tempted 
them to a seat within its doors. Once 
within, they could not resist the temp- 
tation to stay and witness the sharp con- 
test between expert billiard players, 
that had been brought to the place by 
Jones as a bait for the unsophisticated. 

To what lengths will the emissaries 
of Satan go to accomplish the death of 
a single soul ! How slow are Christians 
to use the means at hand for thwarting 
the designs of these Satanic agents. 

Jones, himself, was attractive in man- 
ner. He spared no pains to ingratiate 
himself into the good graces of the 
young, especially — but of the old, too. 

He was too wary to denounce, out- 



154 GREEK BLUFF. 

right, their prejudices in favor of strict 
temperance principles. Indeed, he was 
an advocate of temperance himself, he 
said; as he claimed, that any man could 
control his appetite, if he would, and 
need not drink to excess. He would 
frequently say to the group of young 
men and boys gathered in his saloon : 

"Why, I'm as much opposed to in- 
temperance as Parson Gibson, every 
bit. I never get drunk and roll in the 
streets. I would be mortified beyond 
measure, if I should ever so far forget 
my dignity as to do that. But, then, I 
see no harm in a social glass, now and 
then — indeed, I think, it is good for 
one's health. Besides, one can't go in- 
to respectable society, if he don't drink 
a little wine, or gin, or something of 
that kind — that is, in a town of any 
size. Oh, you can, here, to be sure—* 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 155 

but, then, you can't by-and-by. Things 
are changing, even here. I wouldn't 
sign any temperance pledge. Ha ! ha ! 
ha ! The idea is absurd ! Ha ! ha ! Why, 
my manhood is enough pledge for me. 
It is an old fogy notion, that we 
mustn't have any pleasure in this world. 
I say, let every man do as he pleases. 
If any of you, young men, want to come 
here, and have a good social game at 
billiards, and then a glass of beer, or 
wine, or gin — why, I say, your fathers 
are old fools, if they say any thing 
against it. You'd better be here, learn- 
ing something of the world, than at 
home moping over an old book, or play- 
ing servant to your mother or sister. 
Besides, there's time enough, by-and- 
by, boys, to settle down and be old folks 
— but, now, while you have no wife or 
children hanging to you, you'd better be 



156 GREEK BLUFF. 

having a good time, for you can't have 
any after that. I go in for temperance 
— of course, I do : but not for absti- 
nence. No, sir." 

Thus, this oily-tongued, nicely-attired 
man, spread broad-cast his ideas of right 
and wrong, and sowed seeds of disobe- 
dience to parents, and tempted the youth 
into his clutches. 

More than one home in Green Bluff 
felt the effect of his baleful influence. 
The once-dutiful lad became restive un- 
der parental restraint. The studious, 
quiet, loving brother, changed into the 
listless, noisy, impatient boy. Where 
once was an unbroken family circle 
around the fire-place, or gathered about 
the social board, there was one or more 
empty seats. The parents that once 
bade their sons and daughters " Good 
Night," and retired in peace, now go to 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. ±57 



their beds without the parting kiss of the 
son. just budding into manhood, and re- 
tire to toss restlessly on their couches, 
until the heavy tread on the stairway, 
and the half-angry mutterings in the 
room above, tell of the return of the 
boy that once was their pride, but now 
bids fair to be the curse of their old 



age. 



The sales of the two liquor establish- 
ments were immense, and their profits 
large. This was evidenced by the cost- 
liness of their furniture and the extrav 
agance of their proprietors. 

Patterson removed his saloon from 
the by-street, where he had first opened 
it, to a commodious room on Main 
street, that he might successfully com- 
pete with his formidable rival. His 
apartment was but little less attractive 
than the latter 



158 GREEK BLUFF. 

If these two men could grow rich by 
this traffic, why not others ? Certainly, 
that was a correct and sensible ques- 
tion, and received an affirmative answer 
from several other men as unscrupulous 
as to the means of obtaining wealth as 
were Jones and Patterson. Not many 
months elapsea after Jones was estab- 
lished, before Green Bluff had the mor- 
tification of reading among her other 
signs over store doors, those of " Sunny 
Side Saloon," "Jones' Billiard Hall," 
41 Quiet Retreat," "The Poor Man's 
Rest," and " The Anchor House." 

These all sprang up as in a night. 
Whence they came, none could scarcely 
tell. That they all lived, was a contin- 
ual wonder to some. "Where do they 
get their support?" was often asked, 
but seldom received a satisfactory an- 
swer. 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 159 

One day, as a miner was returning 
home from work, lie stopped in front of 
Patterson's "Sunny Side," and looked 
admiringly at the beautiful sign that 
swung in the breeze, over his door, and 
gazed at the nicely-painted windows 

— (saloons always have their windows 
painted, and a screen before the door — 
they are those who love darkness rather 
than light, because their deeds are evil) 

— through which, however, he could 
see the glow of the red-hot stove. He 
opened the door and entered. Hands 
and feet benumbed with cold, he grate- 
fully drew near to the fire, and, while 
warming his cold limbs, looked about 
on the pictures in gay colors, tastefully 
arranged, and felt that he was in a little 
paradise. It was so unlike his work- 
shop — his narrow, dark, damp, dismal 
den, under the ground, where day in 



160 GREEK BLUFF. 

and day out lie toiled — so unlike his 
own home, with its scanty furnishings, 
bare walls, bare floors, creaking doors, 
broken windows, poor, ill-fed fire, dis- 
tressed-looking wife, hungry children — 
so unlike these, that he wished he could 
stay here always. He looked at Patter- 
son, behind the counter, arrayed in a 
clean white shirt, clean apron, blue 
pants, and blacked boots, and thought 
him his best friend. He wondered at 
the goodness of the man that would 
provide all these comforts for him, a 
poor, hard-worked miner. He was as- 
tonished at the condescension of the 
man that would let him come into his 
house, and, although black with the 
dirt of the mine, permit him to sit by 
his fire, or stretch himself upon a bench 
and rest. As he gazed at Patterson, 
the author of his present happiness, 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 161 

he loved him in his heart, and felt no 
task too hard to perform for him. 

Rising from his chair, brimful of 
kind feelings, excited by his thoughts 
just mentioned, he approached the 
counter, and grasping Patterson's hand 
in his own black, bony one, he said : 

"Ah, Jimmie, I'm glad you have fitted 
up " Sunny Side" so comfortably. You 
may look for me here every night, sure. 
How could you afford it, though?" 

"An' I kin afford any thing for such 
customers as ye. Don't I know what 
ye likes ? An' faith I do." 

"Indeed, you do, Jimmie, and you 
shall never be the loser by it. I spend 
as much more, sometimes, every week, 
for liquor, than I do for my whole fam- 
ily, clothing and all." 

Just so, poor, blinded man ! Here 
is the secret! You, and all the other 



162 GREEN BLUFF. 

poor men, give more than half of all 
their earnings to the dram-seller, and 
then wonder why they can afford to lit 
up such nice apartments for your ben- 
efit. Your benefit! Those gilded pic- 
tures, that warm fire, the comfortable 
chairs, the easy lounges, are only baits 
to draw you on. 

Do you draw a contrast between the 
attractiveness of these places and your 
own scant homes ? Give to your wives 
the money and the kind words you 
lavish on these emissaries of Satan, and 
your homes will come up out of their 
degradation, and become not paradises 
in appearance only, but paradises in 
reality. Then the wife will no more go 
with a broken heart and bowed head, 
but will be the bright, joyous creature 
she was when you married her. Look 
no more at the man that robs you of 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 163 

your money, and steals the food from 
the mouths of your wife and little ones, 
and tears the clothing from their backs, 
to beautify his own den of wickedness, 
and lure your soul to certain and eter- 
nal ruin, and call him your friend. He 
is a fiend in human shape. Let the 
words of God's own book be a warning 
to you : " Wherefore do ye spend money 
for that which is not bread ? and your 
labor for that which satisfieth not?" 



164 GREEN BLUFF. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

The time for the election of new 
councilmen came again. The advocates 
of anti-license, depending upon the 
strength of their principles, put forth 
no extra effort, and, indeed, met the op- 
position with no organization, and con- 
sequently no concert of action. The re- 
sult was as might have been predicted 
from such carelessness — the license par- 
ty gained the day, again electing three 
out of five councilmen. 

There was high glee in the various 
saloons when the vote was announced. 
The temperance party were chagrined 
and grieved beyond measure. Another 
year, at least, of ruin was before them. 

The experience of the past year de- 



A TEMPERANCE STORY 1G5 

monstrated the fact, that the police force 
must be increased. Hitherto, one mar- 
shal was sufficient to keep order. Now, 
they found it necessary to employ three 
policemen besides the marshal. Two of 
these were on duty during the day, and 
two during the night. The salary of 
each policeman was three hundred and 
fifty dollars, and that of the marshal five 
hundred, to which was added a fee of 
one dollar for every arrest of disorderly 
person and fine for every detection of 
violation of town regulations by saloon 
keepers. The economy of the license 
plan now became apparent. It was not 
difficult for anyone to calculate how un- 
wise, in a money point of view, was the 
license scheme. Five saloons, at seven- 
ty-five dollars each, brought into the city 
treasury three hundred and seventy-five 
dollars, while the salaries of the mar- 



166 GKEEN BLUFF. 

shal and policemen amounted to fifteen 
hundred and fifty dollars, leaving a clear 
loss to the town of eleven hundred and 
seventy-five dollars, besides the amount 
paid out for arrests and detection of 
irregularities of the dealers in liquor, 
which amounted to one or two hundred 
each year. To this, add the fees of city 
attorney and police magistrate, and you 
have another hundred, which makes a 
total loss of nearly fifteen hundred 
dollars. 

These facts appeared in the report of 
the treasurer, made public after the 
election. Had they been known before, 
the result might have been different. 
They were not known. The result was 
not different. 

The quiet of the town suffered. It 
was just after midnight, in early spring, 
when the bells rang out the alarm of 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 1G7 

fire. From every house rushed men 
and boys, gazing this and that way to 
discover the place of the fire. The hook 
and ladder company were soon at their 
room, and had their car, heavily laden 
with ropes, ladders, buckets, axes, 
hooks, <fcc, under way, drawn by a score 
or more men roused from their slum- 
bers. To the surprise of every one, 
flames lighted up the windows and 
cupola of the school building. Intensest 
indignation swayed the hearts of all as 
they almost flew along the streets to 
rescue this precious piece of property 
from destruction. What could equal 
their anger, to find the alarm caused by 
a pile of burning boxes and barrels in 
the yard, ignited by a lot of drunken 
boys, who had also broken into the 
church towers to ring the bells to give 
the alarm. Thankful, indeed, were all, 



168 GKEEN BLUFF. 

that it was a false alarm, and yet great 
was tlieir anger at the depravity of the 
ruffians that had done the deed. 

" Why didn't the night w T atch dis- 
cover the actors ? " 

Why? 

When Spring had fully come and flow- 
ers w r ere dotting the yards and filling 
the air with perfume, when the early 
vegetables were ripening for use, fur- 
nishing many poor families with a de- 
lightful change from the unvarying diet 
of Winter, the spirit of Satanic mischief 
was let lose to enter the hearts of the 
saloon loungers, so that the sun rose to 
light up broken, dying rose bushes, 
marred flow£r beds and trampled gar- 
dens, as? gai^s from barn-yards and gar- 
dens had been unhinged and hid away or 
thrown wide open, permitting cows and 
hogs to enter and devour and destroy. 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 109 

The watering troughs at the public 
wells were torn from their places and 
piled up for blockade in the middle of 
the street, while many of the trees in the 
park were hacked and stripped of bark 
and left to die. In the roads, near the 
suburbs of the town, fences were built 
across the highway, and boards from 
bridges were torn up, exposing travelers 
to imminent danger of broken limbs or 
necks. 

" Where were the night police ? " do 
you ask ? We answer, " Where ? n - 

Such scenes were uncommon in Green 
Bluff two years previous. Uncommon, 
did I say? Let me correct that, by 
saying, they were not known at all. 
What wrought the change? Who so 
blind as not to see ? 



170 GREEN BLUFF. 



CHAPTER XV. 

Nearly two years have passed since 
the reader first looked into Mr. Stone's 
house. It is evening again, and we see 
the same group gathered about the tea- 
table. There have been some changes 
in the appearance of two of the group. 
A year at college has added a new beauty 
to L<ucy's face, always attractive. Her 
affection for Walter has diminished not 
a whit, but rather increased. It was his 
generosity that gave her the advantage 
of an education abroad. She knows and 
appreciates it fully, so we wonder not at 
the tenderness of her manner toward 
him. Two lovers could scarcely be 
more closely attached than are these 
two. Scarcely, I say, for however much 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 171 

love Lucy has for Walter, she has more 
for another. The young doctor is the 
chief of her earthly affections. 

A change very marked in its outline 
has been wrought in Walter's manner. 
The responsibility thrown upon him for 
the last two years has given every act 
and word the air that belongs to the 
mature man. He is twenty- two, but at 
times he looks ten years older. Not 
that he has lost any of his boyish buoy- 
ancy of spirit. His eye sparkles as 
bright as ever, and his step is no less 
light, but firmer. The real nobility of 
his character is rapidly developing it- 
self. His face betokens thought. His 
conversation shows culture. He is a 
collier, it is true, but for all that, he has 
a spirit that can never be shut up in the 
dark mines any more than the sunlight 
may be imprisoned by doors and bolts. 



172 GREEN BLUFF. 

He has influence wherever he goes. 
His learning is not extensive, but is 
thorough and practical. His nights 
have been spent with his books, when 
they were not occupied with deeds of 
love, such as visiting the sick fami- 
lies of his men. His refinement is the 
effect of his reading, observation, and 
practice in the home circle. His moth- 
er, regarded as a queen — as she is to 
him — and his sister as a princess. To 
them he manifests as much politeness 
as he would show if in the presence 
of the mightiest potentate. His home 
training makes him at ease in the pres- 
ence of the rich, the cultivated, and 
gives him a passport into the best so- 
ciety, and gains for him the admiration 
of all his acquaintances. 

No change is visible in Mr. and Mrs. 
Stone, unless it be a few more gray 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 173 

hairs, a little faltering in step, and a 
slight quiver in the voice. They are the 
two fond, proud parents we first knew. 

"I do not like to be suspicious," said 
Mr. Stone, on the evening of which 
we write; "but, I am afraid, I have 
grounds to be." 

" Suspicious of whom, father ? " ask- 
ed Walter. 

" Of Charlie Hayes." 

" Charlie Hayes ! " 

"Yes. It seemed to me, as I met 
him on the street to-day, there was a 
tottering in his step, and " 

"Father!" said Lucy, in astonish- 
ment, dropping her knife and fork. 

"And it seemed," continued her 
father, " that he spoke very queerly." 

" What will his poor mother do, if he 
does drink ? It will surely break her 
heart" 



174 GREEN BLUFF. 

"Well, I guess he does drink," said 
Mr. Stone, thoughtfully. 

" And so young ! " 

A silence fell on all. For some min- 
utes no one spoke. 

Mr. Stone nervously thumped his 
knife handle against the table, while 
his head rested on his hand in a 
thoughtful manner. 

" Just as I expected," and he gave his 
knife a harder thump. "I saw all this 
the night a vote was taken on the li- 
cense of Patterson. When I think of 
the mischief that man and Jones have 
done, I can scarcely contain myself. 
It is murder — deliberate, malicious, 
murder — in Charlie Hayes' case. I was 
told, to-dav, that Patterson had been 
boasting over his victory. It is awful ! " 

"It is awful, father," said Walter, 
u but let us hope for the best. Charlie 



A TEMrERANCE STORY. 175 

is not beyond recovery. He is young, 
and the love for drink has not taken 
a deep hold on him, I think." 

M Perhaps not ; but that does not 
make Patterson's crime any the less, 
nor does it excuse those men who voted 
for his license. God's wrath is said to 
slumber, I believe; but it will surely 
wake up, and then where will these 
men stand ! " 

" Colbert is on the decline, too," said 
Walter. " He is not at the mine more 
than five days out of each week. I have 
talked with him, and tried to show him 
his danger. Sometimes he is penitent 
and weeps like a child, and promises to 
reform, but in less than a week he is 
down again. He did do better for 
awhile, before the saloons were opened. 
Now he finds no escape from tempta- 
tion." 



176 GREEN BLUFF 

"If you begin to count up the vic- 
tims, you will not be able to stop to- 
night. And, what is worse, it is creep- 
ing into our churches, and stealing our 
most promising young men. There is 
young Jambres that is going just like 
Hayes." 

"Why, father," said Lucy, in great 
pain, "is it possible that all this has 
been done in the last two years ? " 

" All this ? " Why, my dear, you can 
have no idea of what ruin is wrought 
in our town until you have been on 
the street, as I have been, and see the 
scores of men and boys that are becom- 
ing drunkards as fast as time moves." 

"And, what is worse," said Walter, 
the sale of liquor is not confined to the 
saloons, for many of the grocery keep- 
ers have it to sell, or rather, as they 
claim, to give to their customers. They 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 177 

must do this to keep the trade. The 
drug-stores deal it out as medicine con- 
stantly." 

"It is awful to think of, I declare," 
said Mr. Stone. "What provokes me 
worse, is to see some of our church 
members helping the damnable traffic 
along." 

u Why, father, do they visit the sa- 
loons ? " 

" No ; but worse than that, they furn- 
ish the house to sell it in, and that for a 
mere pittance. I would beg bread from 
door to door, before I'd do it." 

" Who does that ? You haven't told 
me of it in your letters." 

" Haven't we ? Why, no other than 
Mr. Thomas." 

" Mr. Thomas ! " said Lucy, in sur- 
prise. " Why does John let him ? He 
surely can control his father in that ! " 



178 GREEN BLUFF. 

"He claims, I believe, that business 
is business, and that he has no right to 
ask a man what he will put into his 
store-room." 

" Miserable excuse ! " said Walter. 
" If he should propose to use the room 
for a hospital for the cure of yellow fever 
or small-pox, I think he would refuse 
to let it, and the town would rise up, en 
mapse, to prevent his letting it for such 
a purpose." 

" So they would, and justly, too. As 
it is, he has rented it for a purpose far 
more dangerous to the moral health of 
the community than is small-pox to the 
physical. What could have possessed 
him to do it ?" said the daughter. 

" What possessed him ? One of Sa- 
tan 's blackest imps — covetousness." 

"And I am afraid," said Mrs. Stone, 
slowly, "that, like Gehazi of old, cov- 



A TEMPERANCE STORY, 1 79 

etousness will bring upon liim an aw- 
ful penalty. As the leprosy fastened 
upon Gehazi and liis family, I would be 
afraid a like terrible disease would fas- 
ten upon me and my family, if I should 
do such a thing." 

" That's too terrible to think about," 
said Lucy, tremblingly, for her thoughts 
were of the young doctor, and she shud- 
dered to think of the consequences if lie 
should become intemperate." 

"It is not so terrible, my sister, to 
think about danger ahead, and avoid it, 
as it is to endure its pangs. Don't be 
frightened, darling, but there is danger 
of just such a consequence attending the 
doctor and his family. God has cursed 
the man that puts the bottle to his 
neighbor's lips. I have never heard of 
that curse being recalled. Use your in- 
fluence with John to persuade his father 



180 GREEN BLUFF. 

to close up that sink-hole in his store- 
rooms. It is doing as much harm as 
all the other saloons put together — un- 
less it is Patterson's — -just because of its 
respectability, so called." 

Lucy sat musing. A tear trembled 
on her eye-lids. Choking sobs rose, but 
she pressed them back, and brushed the 
tears from her eyes, and persuaded her- 
self that it was foolish to weep over 
imaginary evils. Despite her efforts, 
though, thoughts of the doctor as a 
common drunkard, brought tears and 
choking grief again and again. 

" Let's talk of something more pleas- 
ant," said Mrs. Stone, after a few min- 
utes' silence. " Lucy has just come, 
and we must not throw a cloud over her 
path in the start." 

" I wish you could have been here," she 
continued, addressing Lucy, " the night 



N 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 181 

your brother was received into the 
church. It was a joyful evening to me. 
I had prayed long for just such a step 
on his part. I feel so much more se- 
cure now since he has taken our blessed 
Jesus to be his Guide." Her voice 
trembled with emotion, and tears of joy 
chased each other down her chee v ks; 
while her husband fervently respond- 
ed — " Bless the Lord, O my soul, and 
let all that is within me praise his holy 
name ! " 

" Ah ! mother, I have felt the influ- 
ence of those prayers, and have treas- 
ured up the words of instruction you 
have given me. The religion you urged 
upon me, found a living testimony in 
the lives of you and father and Lucy. I 
could not have resisted, if I w T anted to 
—which I didn't." 

The young man arose and pressed a 



182 GREEN BLUFF. 

warm kiss on the wrinkled face of bis 
mother, and felt himself honored in the 
privilege, and then added, with feeling: 

"How grateful I am! This after- 
noon, as I came from the mines, I saw 
several young men about my age, 
lounging in front of the billiard hall, 
bloated and filled with whisky, some of 
them rolling on the dirty pavement, and 
all of them swearing and quarreling, 
and I said to myself, c See what a pious 
father and mother, and God's grace 
have done for you. If it were not for 
these, you might have been in their 
place.'" 

"True," said his father," these have 
been great helps — but you could have 
been there, anyhow. God made you a 
free agent. Much depends on our own 
will in such matters, and much depends 
on parental instruction. Neither the 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 183 

child or parent is free to neglect every 
means of salvation." 

" I have another source of thankful- 
ness/' added Walter, pausing a moment. 

"What now?" 

"One of the partners in the mine, 
wishes to withdraw, and the others offer 
to take me in." 

" That's quite a compliment, I am sure 
— but then you can't accept the offer, 
can you ? you haven't the money, have 
you ? " said his father, while Lucy and 
his mother watched his beaming face. 

" Don't need any money, just now. I 
am to put my labor in, instead of money. 
Of course, I will receive more or less, 
according to the profits; but I am cer- 
tain I will receive more than my present 
salary — besides, it will be a permanent 
situation. Strange as it may seem, when 
I expressed surprise at the offer, they 



184 GREEN BLUFF. 

all remarked, that sober, steady young 
men were so scarce, that they were dis- 
posed to show a preference for such, not 
only as a reward, but to exert a good in- 
fluence over the wild ones, showing that 
places of honor and profit are always 
open to honesty and industry," 

"Well, well" said Mrs. Stone, 
thoughtfully. 

" My precious brother ! " said Lucy, 
throwing her arms around his neck. 

During this conversation, Dr. Thomas 
was in Jones' saloon, leaning over the 
counter, talking with the proprietor. 
Looking at his watch, he said, 

u Nearly seven ! I must be off. Have 
an engagement to-night. The sweetest 
girl in town, too, Jones." 

" So ? Going to propose to-night, eh ! * 

" Pshaw ! no ; that's settled long ago, 
Let's have a little more of that gin 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 1S5 

Now, some spice, cloves, or something. 
Must be very careful, where she is. 
That is, until the knot is tied, and then 
I'll do as I please — but yet awhiie must 
not let her know I ever take any thing 
stronger than water. Can you smell 
any thing % " So saying, he puffed his 
breath into the face of the saloon-keeper. 
He had taken at least one glass too 
much already, else he never would have 
so demeaned himself. 

" Nothing but cloves/' Jones replied, 
and dared not show his disgust for the 
ungentlemanly act of the doctor. 

"All right, then — here we go for 
Stone's.' 7 

u He is a goner, sure" said Jones to 
himself as his customer passed out. "It 
will not be a year until he is in the ditch, 
at the rate he is going now. But what 
need I care ? he is paying a good portion 



186 GREEN BLUFF. 

of my rent each month, and probabili- 
ties are he will pay it all, by-and-by." 

It has been a year since Lucy and the 
doctor parted. JSTo wonder, then, her 
heart refuses to be still and the blood 
mounts to her face at every step heard 
on the street. He hastens on as rapidly 
as possible. He paints in mind the wel- 
come he will receive, and laughs to him- 
self in joy. Fearful of detection, he 
uses every available means to remove 
the smell of liquor. 

A rap is heard. Lucy answers the 
summons. 

"John, my darling !" 
" Lucy ! my own sweet one ! " 
Their lips meet. A sudden tremor 
runs along every nerve of Lucy, and a 
deathly paleness drives the rose tints 
from her cheek. The doctor sees it, 
mid hastens her to tlje sofa. 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 187 

"Lucy, what's the matter? You are 
so pale, and trembling like a leaf in the 
winds of Winter." 

" Nothing, John," and her head falls 
on his shoulder, only to raise again as 
if stung by an adder. Rising suddenly, 
she stands before him with pallid face, 
saying, 

"John, my dear John ! tell me truly ! " 

11 Certainly, my dearest, anything you 
would know." 

The doctor summoned all his wits and 
strength to talk straight and soberly. 

" Pardon me, if I wrong you, but" 

She could go no further, but sat down, 
weeping. 

"Speak freely, dear, whatever you 
have to say. •* You trouble me so," and 
a look of pain crossed his face. * 

"John — I am foolish, I know; but we 
have just been discussing this terrible 



188 GKEEN BLUFF. 



1 



liquor traffic, and I thought when you 
came I inhaled some of its fumes." 

"Ah! my dear, you must trust me 
more than that. You did smell some 
gin, I guess. I stopped at Jones' on some 
business, and he insisted on my tasting 
some gin he had received, and I did so : 
just like I would taste any drug, to test 
its virtue, that is, its strength." 

The last part was a deliberate false- 
hood. Lucy, in her simplicity, received 
the explanation as satisfactory, and hum- 
bly begged pardon for having suspected 
him. He complained of unusual weari- 
ness that night, ascribing fatiguing rides 
that day as the cause, and left much 
earlier than was his custom. 

Lucy upbraided herself constantly for 
her suspicious nature, and made vows to 
be more considerate in the future. Rash 
vows. It is always safe to "keep a good 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 189 

iistance between you and dangei The 
wife of a drunkard suffers untold ago- 
nies. The wife of a genteel tippler is 
in a fair way to become the wife of a 
drunkard. No girl should ever receive 
the attentions of a man that has so far 
forgotten his manhood as to barter it for 
momentary pleasure. If he cares not 
enough for her love, now, to refrain for 
her sake, he will be less likely to do so 
after marriage. 

When the tendrils of woman's affec- 
tion twine about a congenial spirit, it is 
like death to break them loose ; but if 
the object of her affection is an inebriate, 
she must prepare to suffer death itself 
if she unites her fortunes to his. Before 
the vows have been ratified in the 
presence of witnesses, there is escape: 
after that, none. 



190 OEEEN BLUFF. 



CHAPTER XVI. 

Why need we hesitate in our narra- 
tive ? Just before us lies a dark scene. 
We would willingly close our eyes and 
drop the pen, if by so doing we could 
clear our conscience. We are describ- 
ing realities and not fiction, save in the 
matter of names. We can not, then, 
turn aside. 

Rosa Colbert was beloved by her 
teachers and almost worshiped by her 
schoolmates. She inherited all of her 
father's natural aptness and industry, 
and her mother's beauty and winsome 
ways. To these attractions add unusual 
attainments at school, and you have the 
cause of her power to gain and retain 
friends. In the Sabbath school, there 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 1.91 

was no better pupil for regularity of at- 
tendance and perfect recitation. 

Several Sabbaths passed during the 
Summer, and she was absent from her 
class. The teacher went to her house 
to learn the cause of her absence. 

Her visit was opportune. 

Kosa opened the door and admitted 
the visitor, not with her usual bright 
face and cheery voice, but with a shy 
look and a trembling voice. Once with- 
in the room, where no one else was ex- 
cept the teacher and pupil, she gazed in 
astonishment at the change since her 
last visit, 

"Kosa," she said, holding the little 
girl's hand in hers, " what does this 
mean ? " Well she might ask the ques- 
tion. The floor was bare, not a picture 
adorned the wall ; bureau and chairs 
were gone ; curtains from the windows 



192 GREEN BLUFF. 

— which place was supplied by news* 
papers. Rosa, herself, attired in a 
frock that was little less than patch- 
work, but neat withal. 

"My dear child, what does this 
mean ? " 

" Father had to sell them all, to pay 
some debts." 

" Doesn't he make enough at his 
trade to support his family ? I have 
always heard he was the best man in 
the mines." 

"He can't work all the time — he is 
sick," said Rosa, while the tears rolled 
down her cheeks, and sob after sob es- 
caped her lips. 

" Sick? Why did he not let his wants 
be known. The church would gladly 
have helped him." 

" The men wouldn't wait, he said." 

" Wouldn't wait for what ?" 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 19 5 

" For him to pay them. They came 
last night and got the things. We 
begged them to let us keep the beds, 
for ma — she is so ill." 

" Beds ! child ! — have they taken beds, 
too." 

"Yes, ma'm" — (a sob). 

" Who was so inhuman as to do that ? " 

"Mr. Patterson" — (sob after sob). 

"What, Jimmie Patterson, the saloon 
keeper?" 

"Yes, ma'm" — (weeping as a child 
only can when nearly heart-broken). 

" For what does your pa owe him % " 

" For rum." 

"My dear, dear little Kosa, has it 
came to this ? Your father a drunkard ! 
Heaven have mercy upon you, and send 
its wrath on the traffic that robs wives 
of food and drags the beds from under 
them ! Oh ! the inhuman traffic ! Rosa, 



194 GREEN BLUFF. 

let me see vour mother, if she is ill. 
Perhaps I may do her good." 

ht Oh, no, you can't help her. She 
says you can't," she answered, pulling 
her teacher back, as she started toward 
the bed-room door. 

" But I must see her." 

" Please don't; pa said he would whip 
me, if I let any one in. Please don't ! " 

But in vain; the lady was determined 
to see her, and pushing open the door 
she stood before the sick mother. Two 
little children, younger than Rosa, lay 
fast asleep on the floor. Mrs. Colbert 
was lying on an old blanket in the room, 
her head tied up in a handkerchief, put 
on by Bosa. She was quite insensible 
at times, and glared out of her eyes as 
if wild. Removing the bandage, to bathe 
her face in cold water, the lady started 
back in horror at the sight of a deep cut 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 195 

above and below the eye, where the 
drunken husband had dealt a heavy- 
blow the night before. Rosa stooped 
and kissed the feverish lips, again and 
again, and bathed the hot face in her 
own hot tears. Recovering from the 
first shock, the teacher bathed the face 
and hands, and left to procure help and 
necessaries. 

Need we tell more? Returning to 
consciousness, she begged her friends not 
to have Colbert arrested and tried. She 
still loved him, and hoped for him yet. 
Truly has it been said, that woman's 
love is like the ivy which clings close 
to the dead tree, as her love seems to 
increase for its object as others seek to 
destroy. 

" How could Patterson have the heart 
to do such a thing ? " asked Mrs Stone, 
as Walter was telling her the facts as 



196 GREEN BLUFF. 

he learned them from his teacher. 
(Walter was now Sunday-school super 
intendent.) 

"Would you ask how a murderer 
could have '.he heart to steal ? " was his 
reply, as he walked the floor of his 
mother's room, and thought of this 
scourge. 

There seems to be times for epidemic 
crime. It was so in Green Bluff. 

Charlie Hayes visited Patterson's fre- 
quently. It was late one afternoon when 
lie returned. His sister met him afc 
the gate, and playfully clung to his arm 
as he walked in. He was under the in- 
fluence of liquor, and sought to shake 
her off, but could not. He sprang upon 
the steps at the door, and in a moment 
of anger kicked back with his heavy 
boot. He walked into the house and 
sat down. His sister did not come. A 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 197 

) 

vacme uneasiness filled his mind. He 
went to the door. What a sight ! 
stretched on the ground was the form of 
his darling sister, cold — dead ! A black 
spot showed the place where the blow 
fell. The sight sobered him — but too 
late ! He was a murderer ! No one saw 
the deed but the sleepless eye of God. 
He could escape. He could tell that 
she fell headlong from the steps. He 
did neither. Under the impulse of bet- 
ter feelings, he picked up the precious 
burden and told his mother all the facts. 
For months her heart had ached for her 
boy, and now it seemed bursting. On 
his knees, by her side, he begged par- 
don, and promised to leave forever the 
cup. His sorrow was deep and pungent. 
A few friends were called in ; to them 
were intrusted the facts. All were anx- 
ious to do any thing that would save 



198 GREEN BLUFF. 

Charlie, not only from imprisonment 
for life, but from a drunkard's grave — 
wliicli is far worse. Of the first, there 
were no fears, as there was no one to 
prosecute him — and if there had been, 
there were no witnesses. To save his 
character, to rescue him from a life of 
shame — they all united. The corpse 
was carried to the cemetery, and laid 
away in its narrow home. Who can tell 
the burden that rested on Charlie's 
heart ? Could he ever again drink a 
glass of beer without seeing the sweet 
face of his sister dancing in every bead 
of its foam ? Could he ever again see 
Patterson, without thinking he was the 
prime cause of all his misery ? It seems 
not. Could Patterson ever hear of Col- 
bert's family without feeling in his in- 
most soul condemned for robbing them 
of their all ? Can a wolf feel remorse 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 199 

at the destruction of a child it attacks 
and devours in the forest ? Yes, it may 
feel sad that it is gone so soon: so 
may the other. 

There was a saloon situated in a side 
street. Many persons frequented this 
place, because of its seclusion. 

One afternoon, late, just as the sun 
was sinking out of sight, a wagon drove 
up to this place; a lady and two little 
children dismounted, and went into the 
den. What a sad face was hers ! the 
tear-stain yet on it ; the color all gone ; 
voice trembling with emotion; frame 
shaking with fear and smothered anger. 

She pushed open the door. The keep- 
er looked up amazed. The loungers 
leered from their red eyes. She no- 
ticed none, but gazed anxiously around 
the room. A cry of pain, scarcely audi- 
ble, burst from her lips. She passed 



200 GREEN BLUFF. 

swiftly across the room to the corner 
where a well-dressed farmer sat dozing. 
His head hung down, his hat drooped 
over his eyes, his hair was disheveled, 
and his body swayed to and fro under 
the influence of liquor and sleep. It 
was her husband, the father of the little 
boy and girl that clung to the woman. 

Oh ! the agony of that wife's heart. 
She spoke not a word — she could not ; 
her grief mounted up like great stones 
in her throat, and prevented utterance. 
Taking him by the arm, she lifted him to 
his feet, and, bearing part of his weight, 
led him to the door — out of it — and 
helped him into the wagon, after repeat- 
ed efforts in vain on his part. Once in, 
he fell like a log, and remained there, 
while she drove home, the children 
clinging close on either side. 

Righteous Heaven ! is there no slum- 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 201 

bering vengeance for the wretches that 
thus deliberately break frail wives' 
hearts, and make beggars of children ! 

When the door closed behind the re- 
treating form of the woman, what a de- 
mon-like " Ha ! ha ! " burst from the 
lips of the bar-tender. Yea, even while 
she was in his presence, what a devilish 
smile covered his face, and what con- 
tempt inspired his heart. Call him a 
man ! Never ! Call him a gentlemen ! 
Never ! Call his business respectable ! 
Yes, you may when it is respectable to 
insult wives and mothers on the street, 
and cast them down to laugh at their 
helplessness when in the hands of a 
strong, brutish man. 

O ! Thou ! the habitation of whose 
throne is justice and mercy ! shall not 
these slayers of mankind and tramplers 
of woman's affection, feel the burning 



202 GREEN BLUFF. 

stroke of Thy long-delayed wrath? 
From out the heavens comes the re- 
sponse — " Vengeance is mine ; I will 
repay, saith the Lord." 

Only a few days elapsed, until another 
victim was added to the already large 
list. A farmer brought his wheat to 
mill. He drove a team of spirited 
horses. In the afternoon, scarcely able 
to sit erect in his wagon — so drunk was 
he — he went to the mill for his flour, 
received it, and started home. A pass- 
ing train of cars frightened the horses, 
and they dashed away, caring for his 
control no more than for that of a child. 
In their wild career, they ran astride a 
hitching-post, which was struck by the 
tongue of the wagon. The owner pitch- 
ed forward over the front end, down 
under the horses' heels, and was kicked 
to death, his head being trampled to a 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 203 

jelly. Thus — drunken, reeling — he was 
ushered into the presence of his Judge ! 
Ill-fate seemed let loose. That very- 
night, a youth, from an adjoining vil- 
lage, attempted to board a train, but, 
being dizzy with drink, he walked be- 
tween the platforms, instead of getting 
on the step. The train moved off. His 
mangled body was found by the night- 
watch. 



$04 GREEN BLUFF. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

It was growing late in the evening. 
The moon was shining bright. Lucy 
stood leaning over the gate, looking 
wistfully down the street. She was 
awaiting the coming of two loved ones 
— John, her betrothed husband, and 
Walter, her darling brother. The next 
day she was to leave for school, to be 
absent for a whole year. She had seen 
but little of the doctor this vacation. 
His practice was large, he said, and he 
could not tarry long when he did call, 
and his calls were less frequent than 
formerly. She knew nothing of the 
dreadful habit fastening itself upon 
him. She was anxious for a long, fare- 
well visit to-night. There was so much 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 205 

to talk about. She started at every 
form she saw turning the corner and 
coming toward her — thinking each time 
it was her loved one. Minutes length- 
ened into an hour. At last, Walter's 
quick step was heard, and his noble 
form seen in the dim light of the moon. 
Seeing her, his pace slackened. 

"Dear Walter," she said, "I have 
waited so long for you and John. This 
is my last night at home, you know. 
What has kept you so late ? " 

" I stopped at the barber-shop, sister, 
and had to wait a long time for my 
turn." 

He was on the outside of the gate; 
she on the inside, leaning over it, and 
pressing her head against his. His 
eyes were averted. A slight chill ran 
through his frame. 

"You are cold, dear. Come in." 



200 GREEN BLUFF. 

" No ; not yet. I am not cold." 

" Why do you tremble, then ? " 

" I am a little nervous. Your going 
away makes me so — perhaps," he added, 
with a faint smile, tenderly caressing 
the head so confidingly resting on his 
arm. 

" Why doesrtt John come ? " she said, 
again peering down the street. "Per- 
haps, he has a call to go into the coun- 
try." i 

"Father, help me ! Father, strength- 
en her ! " So breathed Walter. 

" Did you see anything of him ? " 

"Yes, I saw him, but didn't speak 
with him." 

"Why didn't you?" 

" Oh ! this terrible ^urse of whisky," 
he said, apparently not noticing her 
question. 

"Any thing new?" she asked, divert- 



A TEiMPERANCE STORY. 207 

ed for a moment from her thoughts of 
the doctor. 

" Yes ; there is something new every 
day, it seems to me. Our town is go- 
ing to ruin as fast as the days come and 
go. This evening I saw a sight that 
made my blood stand still, and freeze 
almost in my veins. When I entered 
the barber-shop, under Miller's store, I 
found a well-dressed, intelligent-looking 
young man, stretched out on the bench, 
dead drunk. Occasionally he would 
rouse up, and utter profane words, 
glare wildly about the room, and then 
lie down again, slobbering, and moan- 
ing, and cursing." 

" Oh ! dear ; what a scene ! n said 
Lucy, putting her hands over her eyes, 
as if to shut it out. 

"Then he would get up and vomit, 
besmearing himself and the floor. Af- 



208 GREEN BLUFF. 

o 

ter a few minutes, his father, a gray- 
haired old man, came in, an-d with such 
a look of agony and shame that I never 
want again to see, he knelt by his side, 
and chafing the cold hands, called his 
son's name. He was answered only by 
a stupid glare from the red eyes. He 
took hold of his arm, and endeavored to 
raise him, but he fell back, unable to 
stand," 

"Poor old man!" said Lucy, earn- 
estly. 

"Then, calling two men, he hired 
them to carry his son home, while he 
walked behind them with me — so agi- 
tated, with grief that he could walk only 
by leaning heavily on my arm." 

" Oh ! Walter: then you know them." 

"I do." 

" Who were they ? " 

" The young man was John ! " 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 209 

Walter had opened the gate, and 
stood by his sister's side. Well he did. 
She did not faint. She said not one 
word. But, with a look of death, she, 
by his assistance, walked into the par- 
lor, and threw herself on the sofa. 

Can I describe the feelings of the 
group that gathered around her ? No. 
I will not attempt it. Can I tell the 
anguish of her young heart? No. 
Words are of no avail in such cases. 

No one of that company spoke after 
Walter finished telling his parents what 
he had just told Lucy. Every head was 
bowed with grief too profound for 
utterance — too deep to be relieved by 
human sympathy /They all knew ex- 
perimentally of an unfailing cure foi 
grief and heart-ache. To the Great Phy- 
sician of souls they went, for He called 
them when he said, u Come unto me all 



210 GBEEN BLUFF. 

ye that labor and are heavy laden, and 
I will give yon rest." They went. He 
lifted up their bowed spirits and healed 
the broken hearts. But days and weeks 
passed before Lucy left for school. 
She bore her pain in silence at the foot 
of the Cross, where healing streams 
abounded. 

The doctor was carried to his father's 
house, where he remained for days. 

Mr. Thomas was broken down in- 
deed. His idol was cast down. The 
God he had so long served in mockery, 
appeared to him as a vengeful being, 
He found no pleasure in his service. 
He saw that he had brought the wrath 
upon his own head. For a pittance he 
sold the safety of his own son, and that 
of hundreds of others. Too late ! like 
Judas, he repented of his sin, and 
sought to atone for it, by returning to 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 2 1 1 

Jones all the rent he had received from 
him, if he would close up and leave. 
Jones received the offer with contempt, 
and said thrice that amount would not 
induce him to give up his business. 

Mr. Thomas had no place of refuge, 
His god — so faithfully served ; his god, 
Money — availed him naught ; for when 
he offered thrice the amount, the keeper, 
seeing his anxiety, told him with a smile 
of mingled scorn and avarice, that he 
should double that amount before he 
would entertain the proposition. Thomas 
saw himself in the hands of the cunning, 
unscrupulous man, and turned away in 
despair. 



212 GREEN BLUFF. 






CHAPTER XVIII. 

The Winter was nearly over. Dur- 
ing its stay, crime steadily increased in 
Green Bluff. Family after family were 
sustained by public money or private 
donations, as their natural supporters 
left tliem unprovided for, drinking up 
not only their own earnings, but con- 
suming the mites winch their wives 
earned by sewing or washing. Yet this 
wholesale stealing was licensed and pro- 
tected by law. ^ 

Business declined in every depart- 
ment except that of liquor. The dry- 
goods merchant and family grocer look- 
ed in vain for the settlement of their 
accounts. All the money went into 
the coffers of the dram-sellers. Their 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 213 



**■ 



places of business were crowded day 
and night. Their money-drawers rat- 
tled with the silver pieces, and their 
wallets stuck out with bills. Not so 
the honest merchant. Statement of 
accounts came in from his wholesale 
creditor with a "Please remit," added 
as a P. S. But there, was nothing to 
remit. Send their goods back ? Couldn't 
do that, as they were gone — gone to 
clothe and feed the families of the men 
that spent their substance for that 
which was not bread, and their money 
for that which satisfied not. Again 
came a request from city creditor to 
send note for the amount. This was 
done under protest — but it must be 
done to gain a little time, i The days 
sped all too swiftly, as the merchant 
looked over his accounts and saw the 
names of men who once paid their bills 



214 GREEN BLUFF. 

regularly, but who now paid them 
never. In vain he added the Debtor 
side and found it would pay all his bills, 
and leave a handsome balance on hand 
to increase his cash capital. It was a 
mockery ! He was as a man in a pool 
of clear water, dying from thirst, but 
unable to satisfy it, as the waters re- 
ceded from him whenever he stooped 
to drink. He walked his office in grief, 
while the saloon keeper sat in his easy 
chair, and puffed his cigar in peace. 
Yes — in peace/ for he had no con- 
science to trouble him with thoughts 
of his damnable traffic in human flesh 
and blood and immortal spirits. That 
long ago was seared as with a hot iron, 
and was past feeling. 

) The note is due. The money in tlie 
drawer is counted. Not half enough to 
pay the note. It is sent to the bank 






A TEMPERANCE STORY. 215 

They present it for payment. The mer- 
chant gathers together all he can, and 
yet there is not enough. Asks the 
bank clerk to wait a few minutes, while 
he rushes home and gets his wife's gold 
piece and the children's pocket money. 
But in vain. Not enough yet. The 
clerk leaves. Great drops of perspira- 
tion stand on his forehead. He excited- 
ly walks the floor; nervously turns the 
pages of his " day-book," his " ledger," 
his " cash-book," looks over " bills re- 
ceivable," and, longs to see some of them 
marked paid. Times flies; the note is 
protested ; he is ruined. Why % Be- 
cause he is honest ? He has been rob- 
bed — but no one believes it. The saloon 
keeper robbed him of his dues, and the 
town council protects them in their sys- 
tematic robbery. He himself helped them 
to rob himself — for he voted for license, 



216 GREEN BLUFF. 

Crime, we say, increased, and blas- 
phemy walked openly through the 
streets. 

It was the beginning of Spring. The 
warm sunshine made it pleasant out- 
doors. The shades of night were just 
settling over the village, when a com- 
pany of men and boys gathered in front 
of Patterson's saloon. In the centre of 
the group were three persons kneeling, 
Before them, on a small box, were three 
glasses, a bottle of gin, and a piece of 
cake. One of the company, in mock 
reverence, raised his eyes to heaven and 
insulted the Holy Spirit, by asking His 
blessing upon them. Pouring out the 
gin, he passed a glass to each of his 
companions, and, taking one himself, he 
broke a piece of cake, and placed it 
in their mouths, and then commanded 
them to drink, in the name of Jesus 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 217 

Christ, the Son of God ; after which he 
prayed in earnestness for a descent of 
the Holy Spirit, while his companions 
responded in loud Amens and Hallelu- 
jahs. Then, after singing a hymn, with 
impious hands outstretched, he pro- 
nounced the benediction. 

Who were these hardened wretches ? 
you ask. Don't call them wretches — 
for only a few months ago they were 
the chief of young men in their native 
town. The chief actor, was John Thom- 
as — now a confirmed drunkard; the 
other two were Charlie Hayes and his 
rival in school honors, now his rival in 
debauchery, Judas Jambres. 

True to his word, Patterson sought 
and slew the brightest and best of 
Green Bluff's youth. 

Colbert is dead. Attempting to de- 
scend to his work one morning, while 



218 GREEN BLUFF. 

drunk, lie pitched headlong down the 
shaft, and was gathered up a mass of 
broken bones and quivering flesh. His 
wife mourns. She is freed' from his 
cruelty — but she cannot forget the 
handsome face, the strong arm, the 
warm heart she wedded. She remem- 
bers that, when not drunk, her hus- 
band was as kind to her as a mother to 
her infant. It was the demon that en- 
tered his heart through his mouth, 
that made him the brute he was while 
intoxicated. 

Wise still lives, the attorney of all 
the saloon keepers. He lives, but only 
to become a debased sot. The grave of 
a drunkard awaits him as certainly as 
that death comes to all men. His rubi- 
cund face and blooming nose are unmis- 
takable signs. 

Templeton and Furtherton look io 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 219 

dismay at the destruction their voice 
and uplifted hands started and can not 
stop. 

All the saloon keepers await the on- 
coming wrath of a just God, as uncon- 
cernedly as the dumb cattle await the 
plunge of the butcher's knife ; but their 
doom is as certainly fixed as that of 
Sodom and Gomorrah, when ten righ- 
teous men could not be found in their 
midst. The lovers of holiness and 
peace, having uttered their warnings in 
vain, can only withdraw to the moun- 
tains of security, and await the descent 
of the purifying and destroying flames. 
It will come. 

Lucy passes through a cloud, but it will 
lift in mercy, and show her a heart warm 
and true, an arm strong and steady, 
waiting to be her guide and protector, 
her comforter. With him she will go 



220 GREEN BLUFF. 

to bless the world by her pure life and 
teachings. A wide field opens tip be- 
fore her. Her experience in suffering, 
has deepened the already full stream of 
sympathy in her heart, and has intensi- 
fied her hatred for the accursed traffic. 
Her life will be light and shade com- 
mingled. Her j oy will be the purest and 
deepest ; her griefs softened by the pres- 
ence of one noble, true heart — James 
Gibson — son of her beloved pastor, who 
is himself a young minister, with all the 
ardor of his father, and with his deep, 
abiding enmity, to the demon — Drink. 

Walter has come up, from humble 
parentage, to occupy a place of honor in 
the business world. He has not forgot- 
ten his former self, as a miner, and in 
him the laboring man finds a true friend. 
Already he has begun his labors in the 
temperance movement, with a determin- 



A TEMPERANCE STORY. 221 

ation to spare neither time nor labor un 
til Green Bluff is freed from the incubus 
of licensed whisky shops. His income 
increases each year. A part of it ha? 
been expended in purchasing a control 
ling interest in the Green Bluff Herald^ 
which immediately commenced a war- 
fare against the traffic. He has not for- 
gotten the influence of the press and 
rostrum, in freeing our nation from the 
black curse of human slavery, and has, 
as far as possible, laid both under trib- 
ute, to aid in wiping out a slavery more 
fearful in its consequences that that, 
since it sells the immortal, and not the 
mortal nature, simply. 

Mr. and Mrs. Stone live to see the 
truth of the proverb, "Train up a child 
in the way he should go, and when he 
is old he will not depart from it ; " and 
to know that the sustaining power of 



222 GKEEN BLUFF. 

God's grace, is the only true safeguard 
against the attacks of the devil. 

Green Bluff, as a city, exists, a mourn- 
ful example of the ruinous effects of 
licensed crime. Her streets are in 
need of repairs. Her treasury is empty, 
and the city in debt. With a police 
force, she fails to preserve order, as her 
Sabbaths are desecrated with impunity. 
With her faithful and able ministers, 
she fails to rescue the youth from sin, 
as there are three saloons for every 
church and a score of temptations to go 
astray for every warning and induce- 
ment to follow virtue. Her beautiful 
park is no more a place of quiet resort. 
Its beauty is marred. Weeds growing 
rank, have succeeded the clean, velvety 
sward. Where once was the song of 
praise, is heard the voice of swearing. 

Her laboring men no more gather to 






A TEMPERANCE STORY. 223 

drink, under Heaven's blue arch, the 
clear, cooling water, when the day's 
work is done ; then, to separate, to go 
home to happy wives and delighted 
children, and pleasant homes: but 
gather in the grog shops, behind the 
green screen, to drink liquid death, and 
with oaths separate to go home to weep- 
ing, heart-broken wives, half-frightened 
children, and desolate homes. 



THE END. 



